NCD Launches Tool to Simplify Medicare Advantage Dental Plan Comparisons

DALLAS, Oct. 20, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- NCD, a national leader in ancillary health insurance solutions, has launched a new online Medicare Advantage Dental Comparison Tool. The tool, designed to help independent agents navigate the complex changes in dental benefits for the upcoming year, covers 5,049 plans for the CY2027 period, comparing them with CY2026 plans.

CEO Sam Melamed conceived the tool, which uses publicly available data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The tool provides agents with clear, transparent information to support renewal conversations with their clients.

The tool reveals that 31% of Medicare Advantage members in 2026 are in plans that have reduced the annual dental maximum for 2027, with a typical cut of $500, or about 30% of the previous maximum. In contrast, 11% of members are in plans that have increased the annual maximum. Additionally, 15% of Medicare Advantage members in 2026 are in plans that have raised coinsurance on at least one comprehensive service for 2027, while 2% of members are in plans that have reduced coinsurance on at least one comprehensive service.

The tool also shows that 14% of Medicare Advantage members in 2026 are in plans that have improved an aspect of their dental benefit without giving anything up. However, 35% of members are in plans that have decreased an aspect of their dental benefit without any additions, 10% are in plans that have had mixed changes, and 41% are in plans that have remained unchanged.

Consumers often say their Medicare Advantage plan includes dental, but few know the details of their coverage. A plan can keep its dental benefit and still lower the annual maximum, raise copays, or drop a category such as implants or dentures.

The tool covers 16 dental categories, from preventive care to orthodontia. For each plan, agents can see changes to the dollar maximum, deductibles, cost sharing, frequency limits, and prior authorization, along with any categories added or dropped. Each plan is labeled as continuing, renamed, new for 2027, or not in the CY2027 filings, and the tool notes when a buy-up dental rider exists.

Of the CY2026 plans, 1,039 do not appear in the CY2027 filings, and 994 plans are new for CY2027. Clients affected by these changes may be automatically moved to another plan or may need to choose new coverage. In either case, dental benefits are an important part of the comparison.

Agents can access the tool at NCD MA Dental Benefit Comparison Tool. No login is required.