Dentist Vent

[ntburns22]

So I get the mail and I have a $600 dentsst bill from my DH's last appointment. It was our first appointments with this office. he ended up going back twice. We have dental insurance. So I call the office to ask for an explanation. I was told to pay the bill and they would just credit the amount when the insurance money comes. The reason why I have insurance is so I don't have to pay the full amount. I have never been billed before they recieved a payment from the insurance company. Is this something new or it is what I get using a small town dentist. I am thinking we may have to drive into the city for a dentist if it is going to be like this x4 twice a year I can't afford to go to the dentist even with insurance.

 

[AllyandJack]

I have some doctors who operate like this and I think it's becoming a trend. I recently wanted a 2nd opinion about something and paid for the visit and submitted it to insurance myself because we weren't sure they would pay it. They reimbursed me, so it worked out. I have to go this route with my vision insurance for glasses. Nobody will accept the insurance (it's BCBS, so it's a big company), so I have to pay out of pocket and get reimbursed.

So, are they going to be sending you a refund when they get paid? I'd talk with them and tell them that's not the way you want to do business. Maybe when they get used to your insurance company, they'll be willing to wait for payment. If not, then I'd get a new dentist.

 

[jbthi]

That happened to me many years ago. My dental insurance always paid very quickly. I hadn't heard anything for about three weeks so I called the dentist to see if they had been paid. I was informed they would file the insurance claim AFTER I paid them. If they had filed at the time of service they would have been paid by then.

I told them I didn't do business that way and would not be coming back. There must have been a lot of people who didn't do business that way because they closed up shop within a year.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Did they have you sign a paper? I would ask to see it quite frankly.
For example, generally I have signed papers that state if they have not received payment by X# of days you will be required to pay from the dentist.

I called a Dermatologist and they said I had to pay up front as they did not deal with insurance. I said no thanks!

Yes, you do have to ask about payment these days or read what you are signing. It is crazy out there!!!

 

[georgina]

I've gone to dentists who do it different ways. Our current dentist gives us a discount if we pay at the appointment rather than them waiting for insurance to pay part of the bill and them billing us later for what they didn't pay.

 

[bicker]

Is this something new

Actually, it is something old. You may be too young to remember when you always had to pay for services at the time of the visit. "Assigning" your insurance benefit is a relatively new development. I believe it came about, originally, as an incentive to join HMOs, when HMOs first got started. It was only that competition from HMOs that prompted PPOs and traditional plans start operating that way. Many of the best service providers still operate that way. (Why? Because they can).

 

[Christine]

Each doctor/dentist is different.

I have a GP that I use that does *not* participate with my insurance; however, they do all the filing for me and I don't pay until the insurance pays first.

I have an endocrinologist that does *not* participate with my insurance and he will also not file for me. So I pay the visit in full the day I am there and then I deal with the insurance on my own.

The dentist I have now is currently not a participator on any dental insurance plans; however, they file for everyone (electronically) and they get paid very quickly that way. I am then billed for the remaining portion. I would not be surprised though if most dentists do not do this.

 

[ntburns22]

My DH filled out all the intial paperwork so I will have to ask again how the handle billing. My last dentist I never saw a bill they just took the 80%.

 

[spokanemom]

I work for an insurance company that sells dental policies, as well as med, life, etc. If you saw a contracted dentist (a dentist that has signed a contract with the insurance company agreeing that he/she will bill a lower rate for the insured with that company) then generally in the contract it stated that the dentist can not charge the patient up front for any amount that will be covered by the insurance plan.

If your plan has a 50% coverage rate for a service then you would have to pay the 50% and any deductable if it had not been paid for that year yet.

If you see a dentist that has not contracted with your insurance company then the dentist office can bill as they wish.

If you are still questioning what the office is billing, call your insurance company and speak to a rep there. You can usually ask to speak to someone in provider relations, they will know the dentist's contractual obligations inside and out.

 

[trip]

Our dentist used to bill us after the insurance had paid, but starting the first of this year we have to pay in full and then send the paperwork (they do fill it out for us) in to be reimbursed.

I liked it better the old way, but it makes sense financially for the dentist.