Does Healthfirst Cover Braces? Dental Care Coverage Detailed

Healthfirst covers dental and orthodontic care, including braces, under its Child Health Plus and Medicaid Managed Care plans. Other plans may also cover braces, depending on income eligibility. For more details, see below.

Does Healthfirst Cover Braces?

Healthfirst covers routine dental care and orthodontic care, including braces, under its Child Health Plus and Medicaid Managed Care plans. Healthfirst offers health insurance to those who are uninsured or underinsured living in the five boroughs of New York City and Nassau or Suffolk counties in New York.

The Child Health Plus plan is sponsored by the state of New York and is available to children under age 19; anyone under 19 residing in one of the covered counties is eligible. (To qualify, individuals must live in one of the following counties in New York: Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond, Nassau, Suffolk, or Westchester.) The cost of the plan and co-pay amounts for services are based on your household income.

The Medicaid Managed Care plan is also sponsored by the state of New York and is available to low-income households. Orthodontic services are covered without limitations; out-of-pocket costs will vary depending on your income level.

Co-pays for dental and orthodontic care can be as little as $15, Healthfirst representatives said. Eligibility and pricing vary based on your income. Other Healthfirst plans may also cover the cost of braces, representatives said. To find out which plans you qualify for and how much you’ll be required to pay out of pocket, you’ll need to provide a Healthfirst representative with the following information:

• Your full name
• Date of birth
• Birth dates of any dependents
• Your full address
• Your annual income

If you qualify for a Healthfirst plan, the representative will then be able to provide details on which services are covered and what the cost will be — from premiums and deductibles to co-pays and coinsurance. To learn more, contact Healthfirst by calling (888) 250-2220 or enter your information and search for plans on Healthfirst’s website.

In Summary

Healthfirst covers dental and orthodontic care, including braces, under its Child Health Plus and Medicaid Managed Care plans. The cost for braces under these plans will vary by household income level. If you don’t live in New York or don’t qualify for a Healthfirst plan, check out our list of dental financing options.