Dentist Billing Woes

[jazzman172]

I'm having an issue with my dentist and I thought I'd throw it out to the CP community to see if anyone else has had this experience.

I received a bill from my dentist yesterday for $324. It includes my second to last visit last November. My insurance denied the claim since the deadline for '09 claims was the end of March. To me it looks like the Dental office sat on my paperwork for six months, filed it with the insurance company, had it denied, and now expect me to pay. I know that the world isn't fair but surely this isn't right. I 'paid' when I signed the claim form in the office last November.
Anyone have a similar experience? Advice?

[Ducay]

Go and talk to them? If they did forget to process the claim, then they ought to cover it.

If the receptionist lady who does the billing made the mistake, then going and talking to her isn't likely to work as she wants you to pay to cover up her mistake. I'd talk to the owner directly.

[First Lady]

I don't have dental coverage and what my dentist charges me directly is WAY less than what they bill to insurance companies.

If you end up on the hook for it, you should ask what they would have charged without coverage. Who knows they might be okay with that amount.

[algernon]

Originally Posted by First Lady

I don't have dental coverage and what my dentist charges me directly is WAY less than what they bill to insurance companies.

If you end up on the hook for it, you should ask what they would have charged without coverage. Who knows they might be okay with that amount.

Please PM me your dentist's name...

I went to Mexico a few years ago to have work done because the Pirate Dentist here was getting ridiculous.
I had over $6000 worth of work done down there for about $2000 including air.
I was lucky, as my Aunt and Uncle had their boat in Guayamas and let me stay with them. It also helped that he went to the Dentist there before I arrived and could vouch for their modernity.

The Endodontist had the same computer setup as my Dentist here had, and the drugs were better, as I felt nothing. Here, I would always put up with a little bit to moderate amount of pain, because I didn't want to be raped up the ass anymore than necessary.

/rant against my Calgary Dentist telling me about his Q-School son's golfing career that I was financing while he was inflicting pain on me.

[flambers]

Dentist are the worst, only way I will get something done is by making them contact my plan and see what the plan will pay.

They are alway bugging me to remove a filling and make it a cap. Problem is caps are around $1000.

Plan will not always agree its a necessary procedure.

This doesn't help now but my advice never agree to do any procedure without it quoted first. Plans will only cover the Alberta guideline. Many Dentist offices in Calgary charge way more

[mykalberta]

Is there a time limit as to how late someone can bill you for services. Once a CP lawyer sees this thread he should be able to tell you what you are legally able or not to do.

Whenever I go to the dentist the bill is taken care of right after the visit, insurance portion comes off then the amount I pay over and above what insurance covers.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

Is there a time limit as to how late someone can bill you for services. Once a CP lawyer sees this thread he should be able to tell you what you are legally able or not to do.

Whenever I go to the dentist the bill is taken care of right after the visit, insurance portion comes off then the amount I pay over and above what insurance covers.

Risk is a person is never guaranteed insurance will cover any of the procedure. For example a Dentist will take pictures and send it to the plan to explain the procedure. Insurance company can reject the procedure.

[wooohooo]

Originally Posted by algernon

Please PM me your dentist's name...

I went to Mexico a few years ago to have work done because the Pirate Dentist here was getting ridiculous.
I had over $6000 worth of work done down there for about $2000 including air.
I was lucky, as my Aunt and Uncle had their boat in Guayamas and let me stay with them. It also helped that he went to the Dentist there before I arrived and could vouch for their modernity.

The Endodontist had the same computer setup as my Dentist here had, and the drugs were better, as I felt nothing. Here, I would always put up with a little bit to moderate amount of pain, because I didn't want to be raped up the ass anymore than necessary.

/rant against my Calgary Dentist telling me about his Q-School son's golfing career that I was financing while he was inflicting pain on me.

Maybe it worked for you, but some of these countries have sketchy dental service so I wouldn't advise it to everyone. I worked closely with a few Dentists and have seen many terribly done root canals that can cause infections and many bad bad things. If you look at the X-ray's, a properly done root canal will reach all the way to the roots with nothing else showing. Sometimes you won't feel these problems for a few years but when it decides to act up, you'll be sorry.

However, I hear if you can't wait for surgeries or afford them/from the States, going to other countries can substantially reduce cost as much a ten's of thousands and the end result is the same. Such as valve replacements and bypasses.

So really what I'm trying to say is if you are going to get any medical work done in another Country, make sure the Doctor knows what he's doing.

[Northendzone]

i'd get a crystal clear idea on the timeline of things - based on your description it appears teh office admin person fumbled the ball

[algernon]

Originally Posted by wooohooo

. If you look at the X-ray's, a properly done root canal will reach all the way to the roots with nothing else showing. Sometimes you won't feel these problems for a few years but when it decides to act up, you'll be sorry.

I agree.

I needed the root canals, and even if they were to act up, I would have been better off in the meantime.
Like I said, the Mexican Endodontist had the same equipment as my 4th St SW Dentist...OVENS/STERILE PACKS, Modern X-Ray, the same software, instant picture viewing, picture for the Dentist, Etc.

Dr. Dulce showed me the roots, the problem areas, and how she was going to do it. It was the same advice I received from my Dentist here.

When the work was done, she showed me the pictures again, and it was obviously cleaned up.

[wooohooo]

Originally Posted by algernon

I agree.

I needed the root canals, and even if they were to act up, I would have been better off in the meantime.
Like I said, the Mexican Endodontist had the same equipment as my 4th St SW Dentist...OVENS/STERILE PACKS, Modern X-Ray, the same software, instant picture viewing, picture for the Dentist, Etc.

Dr. Dulce showed me the roots, the problem areas, and how she was going to do it. It was the same advice I received from my Dentist here.

When the work was done, she showed me the pictures again, and it was obviously cleaned up.

It's probably good you went to an Endodontist as that's their specialty. Sorry, I meant generally foreign dental work isn't usually up to par as the North American system. For some reason, dental care technology is slow to progress and so technology comes at a huge premium.

Edit: Also a side note for fun... I'm in my early 20's so I only knew Dentistry as pretty sterile. But one of the assistants I talked to was talking about how like 30-40 years ago they wouldn't even use gloves and sterilize their equipment. In fact, they're just starting a campaign recently to keep have all equipment autoclaved and put into sterile bags. Not that it really makes a difference.

[McG]

i think that my entire problem is this "limit" that there seems to be on services. for example, my dental plans in any of employers companies adhere's to some schedule; however i have never found a dentist that actually adheres to that schedule. in other words...it is an artificial cap for the insurance company. but the customer pays the difference. and usually only 80% of the plan gets paid.

all very frustrating actually. still...happy to have a plan.

[jazzman172]

Thanks for the advice CPers. I can see now why Dentists have one of the highest suicide rates, they're not the most popular folks it seems.