Better Business Bureau - Can they really help?

[nutterbutter2010]

I have a few MAJOR complaints with my dentist, ending up that they owe me over $700. I just emailed a complaint to the BBB, and I'm wondering if anything will really happen from this? Has anyone ever complained to them and had their issue resolved??


TIA

 

[LindaR]

The BBB is not any sort of legal entity. They are more along the lines of a PR sort of thing........they hold no authority over any business....it just sounds good to have the backing of the BBB.

You either need to go to small claims court or hire an actual attorney.

 

[LindaR]

I mean, you can file a complaint..........but it doesn't DO anything. You just get to state why you are unhappy, doesn't solve a thing.

 

[agnes!]

If you want to file a complaint I think you can contact your state's licensing entity for dentists or file a complaint with the consumer protection division of your city/county/state/etc.

agnes!

 

[nutterbutter2010]

I mean, you can file a complaint..........but it doesn't DO anything. You just get to state why you are unhappy, doesn't solve a thing.

Wow - I guess the BBB is just a pointless place then. How stupid! Oh, I'm so mad!!! I have a lawyer, and I'm waiting to hear back from him. I just want my darn money back!!!!!!!

 

[INDISMOM]

Wow - I guess the BBB is just a pointless place then. How stupid! Oh, I'm so mad!!! I have a lawyer, and I'm waiting to hear back from him. I just want my darn money back!!!!!!!

Actually the BBB is somewhat like a mediator in business disputes. The BBB will file the complaint and notify the dentist of the issue. The dentist then has so many days to respond.

If the dentist is accredited by the BBB, it is in their best interest to respond and try to work things out with you. A company's BBB rating is based on a lot of things, but one of the major things is the number of complaints and if the complaints were resolved or not.

If the dentist is NOT accredited, then they probaby don't care about the complaint and your best bet is to go through your lawyer and/or insurance company to get it resolved.

 

[SnootyBear]

If you dont mind my asking, how did you over pay them? I only wonder because mine waits for the insurance dust to settle before they ever bill me.

 

[nutterbutter2010]

If you dont mind my asking, how did you over pay them? I only wonder because mine waits for the insurance dust to settle before they ever bill me.

Thats what I always thought!!! I said to them after this all happened - "how hard is it to call the insurance, find out how much they are going to pay, and then have me pay the balance???" They said no, they don't do it that way, that I have to pay it all, then they will give me back what was paid by the insurance. I never knew that, and assumed that I was paying what was left after insurance. After a while, I started checking that out, and I found at that no other dentists do that. I just found out to late I guess. They have also done other things that are down right illegal. Like, my father goes to this dentist. He had something done, and they offered to have his co-pay paid with MY BALANCE!!! I was FLOORED when he told me that. Unfourtinatly he did't do it, so I have no proof that it was offered. I am just steaming over this!!!!!!!!

 

[PghLybrt]

I think the BBB is a big scam. They have no authority over anything. You have to pay them big money to be acredited and if you don't really all it takes is one bad remark to get a bad rating. We have one and I really don't care. Out of over 20,000 customers only one complained, I think I am doing good. Yet I have a negative mark. They also do not check their info. They had me listed with a husband with my home phone number! I am now without a house phone and I have no husband ! Another business is listed with their window washer as the owner. Imagine the damage to him that could be done if someone sues him over some business that is not his! I really think they give a false sense of security.

The best way is to first goto the company. Bringing in a third party only slows down the process.

 

[KandD]

Thats what I always thought!!! I said to them after this all happened - "how hard is it to call the insurance, find out how much they are going to pay, and then have me pay the balance???" They said no, they don't do it that way, that I have to pay it all, then they will give me back what was paid by the insurance. I never knew that, and assumed that I was paying what was left after insurance. After a while, I started checking that out, and I found at that no other dentists do that. I just found out to late I guess. They have also done other things that are down right illegal. Like, my father goes to this dentist. He had something done, and they offered to have his co-pay paid with MY BALANCE!!! I was FLOORED when he told me that. Unfourtinatly he did't do it, so I have no proof that it was offered. I am just steaming over this!!!!!!!!

I don't understand doctor/dentist offices that take money ahead of time and "wait to see what will be paid". I have to imagine that it is really a pain in the neck to send out reimbursement checks all the time.
But I don't understand what you mean about the copay and your balance...are you saying that they told your dad not to pay his copay and they would just add it on to YOUR balance??? If so that is really crazy.

 

[nutterbutter2010]

I don't understand doctor/dentist offices that take money ahead of time and "wait to see what will be paid". I have to imagine that it is really a pain in the neck to send out reimbursement checks all the time.
But I don't understand what you mean about the copay and your balance...are you saying that they told your dad not to pay his copay and they would just add it on to YOUR balance??? If so that is really crazy.

Well first of all, this office obviously doesn't send out the reimbursement checks, so they don't have to worry about that hassle.
No, my father had something done. He had to pay his co-pay, but rather than taking money out of his own pocket, they offered to take money out of MY money to pay for it. Understand? Sorry if I'm not making sence - I'm just so upset about this. So upset that I'm getting HIVES!!

 

[KandD]

Well first of all, this office obviously doesn't send out the reimbursement checks, so they don't have to worry about that hassle.
No, my father had something done. He had to pay his co-pay, but rather than taking money out of his own pocket, they offered to take money out of MY money to pay for it. Understand? Sorry if I'm not making sence - I'm just so upset about this. So upset that I'm getting HIVES!!

That's true about them not reimbursing! I thought of that after I posted!!

That is really crazy about your dad's copay...I have never heard of such a thing!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Wow - I guess the BBB is just a pointless place then. How stupid! Oh, I'm so mad!!! I have a lawyer, and I'm waiting to hear back from him. I just want my darn money back!!!!!!!

Curious as to why they owe you so much money and why they are refusing to pay it.


I agree with the rest of the comments about the BBB. Totally pointless. Though if enough bad complaints come, that can affect business at some point. But if he is a fine dentist and it is simply a billing/money issue--don't think he'd lose patients if you complained.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I don't understand doctor/dentist offices that take money ahead of time and "wait to see what will be paid". I have to imagine that it is really a pain in the neck to send out reimbursement checks all the time.
But I don't understand what you mean about the copay and your balance...are you saying that they told your dad not to pay his copay and they would just add it on to YOUR balance??? If so that is really crazy.

With our new insurance--we pay upfront and our insurance reimburses us directly.

With our past insurance, they calculated my portion and I paid only that amount. The insurance paid the balance directly to the dentist.

If they are filing insurance as a courtesy and will get a check, there is no need for them to collect any more than your portion (and they do know what their portion is. If they don't, they have a crappy billing dept.)

They have no choice but to reimburse.

Have you tried complaining to the insurance company? B/c if the insurance company decides to not deal with that dentist anymore, then the dentist will lose business that way.

 

[Gina]

I agree with the rest of the comments about the BBB. Totally pointless. Though if enough bad complaints come, that can affect business at some point.

If only even that were true! A business with bad "marks" can actually just pay the BBB more money and have their record wiped clean. So, yeah, "totally pointless" is a good way to classify them!

 

[momof1princess]

in your case, OP, i would contact BOTH my dental insurance provider AND the state board of dental licensing. it sounds like your dentist is engaged in some very shady financial practices. make sure you have documentation of what you were charged and what is owed to you before you call.

 

[castleview]

They might not help you personally. But by filing a complaint, that may help someone else who is about to use that service.

 

[nutterbutter2010]

I just wanted to give an update. They are finally going to cut me a check for the full amount. I don't think I said this before, but they gave me a check on Friday for about half the amt, and the friggin thing wasn't even signed!!! Thats when I threatened to bring my lawyers in. I also told the office manager to do a full investigation on my records to see what other money of mine they have taken and not given back. I KNOW theres more in there. Thats about it for now. Hopefully this will be resolved soon. Thanks to everyone for your advice, and I still may get the dentistry board and insurance company involved, I'm not sure yet.

 

[Kimberle]

I pay this kind of stuff w/ a credit card. That way, I can file a chargeback with the cr card company if needed. I never pay by check/cash.

 

[PaulaSue]

I mean, you can file a complaint..........but it doesn't DO anything. You just get to state why you are unhappy, doesn't solve a thing.

At least here, They do work with the company and the person who filed the complaint.