Does BCBS Cover Byte Clear Aligners?

Blue Cross Blue Shield is one of the largest insurance companies out there, with a sprawling network of subsidiaries and around 115 million members. If you have a BCBS dental insurance plan, you might get some help with your Byte home aligners.

Byte is a popular at-home aligner option because of their convenience, reasonable prices, and excellent customer service. Yet they also have partnerships with multiple dental insurance companies. So, if you’re pursuing Byte treatment and you have Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance, you might get coverage for your aligners. But every dental plan is different, and this guide will help you know what to expect when getting BCBS coverage for your Byte treatment.

Pro tip: Let Byte’s insurance team do the research for you by getting a free coverage check.

Does Blue Cross Blue Shield Cover Orthodontics?

Blue Cross Blue Shield is more like an umbrella that encompasses “34 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross Blue Shield companies.” Each one of these companies operates in different locations and has different plan variations. So there are a lot of different plans with different policies on orthodontia.

Regardless of your location and subsidiary, the most basic BCBS plans rarely provide coverage for adult orthodontics (sometimes they cover treatment for patients under age 19), while their more expensive plans usually do. Some BCBS companies even allow you to add orthodontic benefits to plans that don’t initially include them. Normally, these benefits will cover braces and Invisalign.

Does Blue Cross Blue Shield Cover Byte?

Sometimes, but it all depends on your specific plan. Some plans label at-home clear aligners as a cosmetic or DIY treatment and, consequently, won’t cover it. Other plans will cover part of your Byte treatment. Anthem and Empire, two large companies under the BCBS umbrella, have partnerships with Byte that bring the home aligner company in-network. This doesn’t mean that every Anthem and Empire plan includes home aligners, but they could be more likely to provide coverage.

Even when a plan covers Byte, it typically won’t cover the entire cost, just a percentage of the price or up to a lifetime maximum. So, you’ll still probably have to pay some out of pocket.

For example, with some Anthem and Empire plans, your Byte treatment could be eligible for an upfront discount plus traditional coverage. This brings the price down to $1,745 for day aligners and $1,995 for At-Night aligners. Then let’s say your plan offers 50% coverage for Byte — this would bring your out-of-pocket total down to just $872.50 for all-day aligners and $997.50 for At-Night.

Of course, this all depends on the particulars of your plan. Head over to Byte’s insurance page to learn more about your potential coverage.

How Much Does Byte Cost?

Orthodontic treatment is never cheap, even when it’s affordable. Byte’s standard, all-day aligner treatment is $1,999. And if you choose their At-Night aligners (which you only need to wear for 10 continuous hours a day), it’s $2,399. While we don’t know the specifics of your budget, those prices are more than just pocket change to us — even if Byte offers a lot of value for the cost.

Byte does offer an option to make their prices more manageable — BytePay. This is an in-house payment plan that doesn’t require a credit check. The terms are as follows:

• All-day treatment: $249 down payment, then $70 a month for 36 months
• At-Night treatment: $299 down payments, then $84 a month for 36 months

You might have noticed the cost with a payment plan is higher than just paying for treatment outright. But that’s because it includes the Byte Protection Plan, which ensures you get new aftercare retainers every six months for five years and can get two replacements for lost or stolen retainers. Considering retainers are $129 when purchased on your own, you actually save money by going this route while also breaking the cost up into more manageable chunks.

How Do Orthodontic Benefits Work?

To have orthodontic benefits, you need an insurance policy — but having a dental policy doesn’t mean you’ll have orthodontic coverage. Only some plans include orthodontic benefits.

Assuming you have a dental policy with orthodontic coverage, getting help with traditional in-office treatments (braces, Invisalign, 3M Clarity) is fairly easy. Just keep in mind that they usually will only cover some of your treatment (either a percentage or lifetime limit) and they may restrict their coverage based on your age. Be sure you fully understand the terms of your policy before starting treatment.

Will Byte Help Me With Insurance?

Byte goes beyond just offering insurance help; they take care of every step in the process. First, they complete a preliminary check to see if you have coverage, and if you do, they’ll submit your claim for you after you pay. If your claim gets denied, they will file an appeal and look for ways to get your treatment covered.

Byte is unique in how far they go to help with insurance claims. Some of their competitors, such as SmileDirectClub, will also do the preliminary check, but the rest is on you.

How Do I Use My Orthodontic Benefits?

If you have an Anthem or Empire plan, it might consider Byte an in-network treatment and provide coverage for your treatment. In these cases, your coverage might be deducted directly from your overall bill. In other cases, you would need to pay the entire amount at once (or enroll in a financing plan) then file a claim form to get a reimbursement. The good news is that Byte will do it all for you.

All you need to do is reach out to your Byte advisor. They’ll connect you with their insurance team and help you navigate the process, filling out paperwork and ensuring accuracy and timeliness. Then you just wait for the reimbursement to arrive in your account.

What If I’m Not Covered?

Even though BCBS has a standing partnership with Byte, not every one of their plans covers at-home aligner treatment. But don’t worry, there are still ways to manage your expenses. You could switch providers and/or plans, but you can only do that during open enrollment periods or if you have a qualifying life event. And if you have insurance through your employer, they might not offer plans from other providers. If so, you could enroll in an individual plan to supplement your employer-provided one. But that means you’ll be paying more in premiums, so you’ll have to make sure the savings are worth it.

Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) are also options. These are accounts that let you save pre-tax income specifically to use for qualifying medical expenses. Each account administrator has the freedom to interpret what is and is not a qualifying expense differently, so make sure Byte is covered before you pay.

And don’t forget about BytePay. If the $1,999 or $2,399 lump-sum payment is just too much, you can break things up into more manageable chunks with their in-house financing. This plan requires a $249 down payment, followed by 36 monthly payments of $70. The best part is that there’s no credit check involved, so everyone qualifies.

Final Thoughts

Byte already offers affordable treatment, and orthodontic benefits can make it even more manageable. Their standing partnerships with Anthem and Empire make coverage from certain Blue Cross Blue Shield plans a lot easier. And the best part is that Byte will take care of all your insurance paperwork and communications. Just get in touch with them and you’ll have a dedicated partner for the entire process.