Explanation of Benefits: What to Expect
By Caroline Jacobson on December 12, 2017 in Insurance
What is an explanation of benefits or EOB? Let’s start with what it’s not—a bill.
An EOB is a piece of paper or electronic document you get from an insurance company (Delta Dental or another provider), explaining your recent claim. And like we said, it’s not a bill.
An EOB will tell you:
- Treatment performed (description of procedures)
- Dentist or doctor fees
- Insurance company payment
- Amount you might owe (such as deductibles, coinsurance and non-covered services)
- Coordination of Benefits (COB) information, if applicable
- Portion of annual maximum used and the amount paid toward deductible in the current benefit year
If you paid your dentist directly, the EOB may come with a check. After you get your EOB, you’ll know what (if anything) you owe your dentist. But don’t worry—that bill will come directly from your dentist.
If you have questions about your EOB, or believe that your claim wasn’t resolved properly, contact your plan provider.
Delta Dental of Iowa makes it easy to access your EOB and other claim information 24 hours a day, seven days a week online through the Member Connection at deltadentalia.com.
The online Member Connection provides easy access to your EOBs and additional benefit information, such as:
- Printable ID card
- Claim status
- Eligibility information
- Maximum deductibles used to date
- Benefit levels
- Frequency and age limits
- Preventive history
If you haven’t done so already, it’s easy to register on the Member Connection.
- Visit deltadentalia.com and select “New User? Sign up.” in the My Account box on the right side of the home page.
- Complete the online registration. Enter the primary enrollee’s:
- First and last name (exactly as your employer entered it during enrollment; e.g., “Bob” may be “Robert”)
- Assigned subscriber ID or Social Security number (enter the nine digit number with no dashes)
- Date of birth
- ZIP code
- Create a username and password, enter your email, create a challenge question and then click on “Register User.”
An EOB contains a lot of information and can sometimes be overwhelming. Be sure to check out our cheat sheet on how to read Delta Dental of Iowa EOBs for more information.