New Mexico dental insurance guide

For adults who purchase their own stand-alone dental coverage through the exchange in New Mexico, premiums in May 2024 ranged from about $12 to $38 per month.¹

If a family is purchasing coverage through the health insurance exchange, the premiums associated with pediatric dental coverage may or may not be offset by premium tax credits (premium subsidies). Here’s more about how that works, depending on whether the health plan has integrated pediatric dental benefits.

The stand-alone pediatric dental plans available in New Mexico’s health insurance Marketplace will comply with the ACA’s pediatric dental coverage rules.

So out-of-pocket costs for pediatric dental care on a stand-alone dental plan purchased via beWellnm won’t be more than $400 per child in 2024 (or $800 for all the children on a family’s plan),² and there is no cap on medically necessary pediatric dental benefits. (For 2025, the out-of-pocket maximums will increase to $425 and $850, respectively.³)

If a medical plan has embedded pediatric dental benefits, the maximum out-of-pocket limits described above are not applicable. However, there will be no limit on how much the plan will pay for pediatric dental care, since it’s an essential health benefit.

As is the case for all essential health benefits, the specific coverage requirements for pediatric dental care (either embedded in an ACA-compliant individual market plan, or sold via beWellnm as a stand-alone dental plan) are guided by the state’s essential health benefits benchmark plan.

The New Mexico benchmark plan includes coverage for both basic and major dental services for children.

In 2024 two insurers offer stand-alone individual/family dental coverage through the health insurance marketplace in New Mexico (beWellnm). These are dental plans that are not included with a medical plan and must be purchased separately.

This coverage can be purchased through beWellnm in conjunction with a major medical plan during open enrollment (November 1 to January 15) or during a special enrollment period triggered by a qualifying life event.

But a stand-alone dental plan can be purchased on its own at any time during the year through beWellnm (this differs from the rules in most states, as exchange-certified stand-alone dental plans in most states can only be purchased during open enrollment or a special enrollment period). Exchange-certified stand-alone dental plans are compliant with the ACA’s rules for pediatric dental coverage.

There are also a variety of dental insurers that sell stand-alone dental plans directly to consumers in New Mexico. These plans are not subject to the ACA’s essential health benefit rules for pediatric dental coverage, but they are regulated by the New Mexico Office of Superintendent of Insurance (OSI). If you would like to purchase a non-ACA qualified dental plan, ask a dentist for recommendations or search online.

There are also various dental discount plans available in every state. Dental discount plans are not insurance, but can offer discounted rates at participating dentists. Learn about the differences between dental insurance and dental discount plans.

To find plans in your area, search online for dental discount plans and the state you are looking to buy a plan in.

Adults enrolled in Medicaid in New Mexico are eligible for extensive dental services through several health plans offered by the state Medicaid program. Children are also eligible for dental benefits through Centennial Care.

New Mexico has a Medicaid expansion CHIP, which provides dental coverage to uninsured children and pregnant women with income above the eligibility limits for Medicaid.

• New Mexico Dental Association
• Low-fee dental clinics in New Mexico
• Centennial Care (New Mexico Medicaid)
• HealthCare.gov