I had a tooth pulled, remember?
Well, they made me a partial denture, and I paid the $104. copay....
Six months later, I get a bill for $453. My insurance didn't cover the partial (which I lost anyway; it is a retainer with a little fake tooth on it)
So, I call them, and they said..."well, we only give you and "estimate."
So, they want another $453 dollars..
I called my insurance, and they said they never cover those, only for the front teeth, and the dentist office should have runa preauthorization for anything over $400...
I told this to the dental office manager, and she said that was just a "courtesy." to get a preapproval....
Now, the collections guy from the dental office said he will now only charge me $253...what my insurance was supposed to pay. I asked him then how it would go up to $453....he said that is the office charge (plus the $104 I already paid) if you DON'T HAVE INSURANCE.....
I told him that I would pay the $253, but I am writing letters because I think this whole thing is unfair. He told me that if I did, he would charge me the whole $453, WITH INTEREST...
I am so mad I am bawling....why would you charge me more if I don't have insurance??? Why am I not given the courtesy of a preapproval?? Shouldn't they know that that wouldn't be covered anyway??? They do this all the time!! They should know what is covered and what isn't.
And, they won't do any other dental work (fix my gap in my face, which now I really look like a junkie) until I pay this off.
I HATE THE DENTIST
I HATE THE DENTIST
I HATE THE DENTIST
KERRY
Going through the same thing....
I have a bill from the dentist from last November...... my son & I went in for cleaning/cosmetic surgery/etc and they charged me one thing, then sent me a bill saying that my insurance didn't pay as much as they have anticipated.
They got a preauthorization and everything and told me my amount would be such-and-such (I have bonding/veneers/and a partial in the back like what you have)..... I spent over $1000 and then I get ANOTHER bill because, well, they were wrong and the insurance company was wrong and this or that wasn't covered.....
I've been fighting it for 3 months and now I'm just going to pay the extra $150...... mainly because I'm worried something will happen and I'll need a dentist and they won't see me.
You're right.... it doesn't seem fair that doctors can charge more when someone has insurance. That's why insurance rates are so high, because so many doctors rip them off (okay, one of the reasons why, any way)
Sorry you're going through this.
Danielle
I have a bill from the dentist from last November...... my son & I went in for cleaning/cosmetic surgery/etc and they charged me one thing, then sent me a bill saying that my insurance didn't pay as much as they have anticipated.
They got a preauthorization and everything and told me my amount would be such-and-such (I have bonding/veneers/and a partial in the back like what you have)..... I spent over $1000 and then I get ANOTHER bill because, well, they were wrong and the insurance company was wrong and this or that wasn't covered.....
I've been fighting it for 3 months and now I'm just going to pay the extra $150...... mainly because I'm worried something will happen and I'll need a dentist and they won't see me.
You're right.... it doesn't seem fair that doctors can charge more when someone has insurance. That's why insurance rates are so high, because so many doctors rip them off (okay, one of the reasons why, any way)
Sorry you're going through this.
Danielle
kerry,kerry,kerry,you don't look like no junkie maybe an alchloic but definatlly not a junkie[lol] i know this might startle you but i'm not even perfect i know i's hard to believe but it's true,i noticed this morning a pimple the size of a dime right there on my a** i was thinking to myself what ever shall i do and just at that moment it came to me[squeeze it] problem solved and now i feel so much better i am able to handle lifes problems on lifes terms,i hope this makes you see that maybe your problems an't so bad after all..............vinny
oh, and I forgot to add, the new "receptionist" at the dentist was the old PHARMACY TECH...the tech when I had 240 then 90 then 240 norcos rolling in...
So, I feel if complain, they will throw that in somewhere...
I did see this pharamacy tech (her daughter and my daughter attended gymnastics together) LOADED...I MEAN LOADED at a practice one time.
So, when they say our little secrets won't get out,
if you live ina small town they do.
Vinny, how is the oxy going, love?? I emailed you, did you get it?
Kerry
So, I feel if complain, they will throw that in somewhere...
I did see this pharamacy tech (her daughter and my daughter attended gymnastics together) LOADED...I MEAN LOADED at a practice one time.
So, when they say our little secrets won't get out,
if you live ina small town they do.
Vinny, how is the oxy going, love?? I emailed you, did you get it?
Kerry
That sucks Kerry, can you just put a chicklet in there?
Redd
p.s. a clementine is a very sweet easy to peel small orange.
thanks..what the heck is a clementime???????????????
Kerry, Sweet girl, please don't let this upset you. I know it's hard. Just tell them you'll pay it, and pay $10.00 a month for 2-4 years. Do not let it ruin your day. It just the way of the world, and you can't change, so roll with it and try to enjoy the day with the gremlins.
We are self employed so we have to pay for our own insurance. I could spend all day telling you horror stories about the crap they put us through. The last one was raising our monthly rate from $1100.00 to $1800.00.........a $700.00 increase ! and it was because we actually filed a large claim.
We have no dental insurance, so we do get a break from our dentist. Hate to say it, it's not so much that they charge the insurance patients more, but for those of us with no coverage, they give us a discount. My son was born with no enamel on his baby teeth, so he had to have crowns on all his molars. To date I have about $14,000.00 in his mouth so don't get me started on dentists! haha
Have a good day!
I'm confused....was that a typo?
Redd
oh, I got it redd...sorry.
Thanks, Carol...
he gave me 3 months to pay it. I offered the 10 a month, but he said no way. So, he wants it all in 3 months...
What really made me mad was that I told him I was gona write letters, and he said, if you do, I will charge the whole amount, PLUS INTEREST...
like a THREAT.
So, I wrote a letter to the editor in my local paper. It already feels like extortion.
Kerry
Thanks, Carol...
he gave me 3 months to pay it. I offered the 10 a month, but he said no way. So, he wants it all in 3 months...
What really made me mad was that I told him I was gona write letters, and he said, if you do, I will charge the whole amount, PLUS INTEREST...
like a THREAT.
So, I wrote a letter to the editor in my local paper. It already feels like extortion.
Kerry
and carol, I am sorry to hear about all of that. insurance is such a rip off. the drs rip off the insurance, the insurance rips off the drs,
and we get stuck paying 400 for something that costs less than 100..
(my brother sells all that stuff, so I know exactly what it costs.)
Getting your teeth whitened for $300? It costs them $25 bucks..
I HATE THE DENTIST.
and we get stuck paying 400 for something that costs less than 100..
(my brother sells all that stuff, so I know exactly what it costs.)
Getting your teeth whitened for $300? It costs them $25 bucks..
I HATE THE DENTIST.
Dental visits used to not be that bad, because at least I knew I'd get some vicodin out of the deal.
I HATE the dentist...... I freak out at the idea of having anyone's hands in my mouth.... I feel like I can't breathe & always have a panic attack. I have to get nitrous oxide just to have my teeth cleaned (and my insurance doesn't pay the $65 cost each time).
I grew up in a very working-class family.... they raised 7 kids on $20,000 a year..... so I didn't go to the dentist until I was 18 yrs old. Needless to say, I've had many problems with my teeth because of this and so I've spent extraordinary amounts of money to have a straight, white smile (get bonding redone every 3-4 yrs, at about $1500 a pop, to keep them white; they stain easy..... and I have had plenty of times when I get the feeling the dentist is ripping me off because they KNOW I'll pay what it takes to give myself something my parents couldn't do for me).
Danni
I HATE the dentist...... I freak out at the idea of having anyone's hands in my mouth.... I feel like I can't breathe & always have a panic attack. I have to get nitrous oxide just to have my teeth cleaned (and my insurance doesn't pay the $65 cost each time).
I grew up in a very working-class family.... they raised 7 kids on $20,000 a year..... so I didn't go to the dentist until I was 18 yrs old. Needless to say, I've had many problems with my teeth because of this and so I've spent extraordinary amounts of money to have a straight, white smile (get bonding redone every 3-4 yrs, at about $1500 a pop, to keep them white; they stain easy..... and I have had plenty of times when I get the feeling the dentist is ripping me off because they KNOW I'll pay what it takes to give myself something my parents couldn't do for me).
Danni
Dentists stink..and so does the Insurance companies...my 14 year old had a root canal..we have bc/bs, we had to pay up front, then the ins reimburses you....well we payed $798.00 that day, and 4 months later got reimbursed a whopping $35.00 gotta love this! We are all here with ya, we all hate the dentist!
Kerry, I despise what the dentist I deal with (or dealt with) in Florida did.to me. I won't bother u with the details, but what they did was beyond stupid, their greed & lackof trust which caused them to screw things up and left me(due to their incompetance) owing them a couple hundred bucks which I was still going to pay until they insulted me.
But to your situation: at this point you need to take emotion out of it and figure out what you want to do. In my case the decision was pretty simple- I just blew it off. My credit is screwed up anyhow, so I don't believe there is much they can do to me- but then again, I am in Florida, so who knows- maybe Jeb BUsh will come Over with Mrs. Bobit & give my yin yang to the dentist to hang on his wall.
But if your desire is to try to pay him off a little at a time and at the same time have a defense against a law suite this might work (I am not a lawyer so please Mr Ashcroft, don't arrest me for giving legal advise, i am only speaking hypothetically about what I might have a character do if I ever write a book were her name is Kerry & it is an exciting book about dentist fights- So go do something meaningful, like use the influence of your good office to make sure children in Alaska go to jail forlife for marijuana posession).
AAnyway, send a certified letter withy a check for about $50.00explaining that you will be sending them $10.00 a month until the principal of this bill is paid off and that their acceptance of the check affirms their agreement to your paying it this way. (There is a good chance that they will cash the check- and even if by error they have accepted your proposal. I think this is still a valid way to do things.) Also, without getting into detail, briefly mention in the letter that what they are doing by overcharging you more then you were told (I probably would use the words "overcharging you more then you were told- even though it is not proper English & you probbly sound like an illeterate, it definitely serves an idea purpose, in case it ever goes to court.) and you are paying this to avoid trouble for yourself.
Send it certified, keep copies of everything, & if they do accept the check , get a copy from your bank. Don't call them. If the check is accepted, like i said, i think you have an agreement. Just keep sending your $10.00 a month (no interest as you stated principal only in your letter.)
If they don't cash it , you have a defense that you did make a good faith effort.
NOW HERE COMES THE FUN PART, WHERE YOU CAN GET BACK AT YOUR DENTIST.
You believe he essentially frauded you, by telling you one price, doing the work, and charging you more. You have made arrangements to pay him, (or attempted to) under protest (as you said in your letter to him) because you fear him.
THE ABOVE IS WHAT YOU COULD STATE ON YOUR LETTER OF COMPLAINT TO: 1. The attorney generals consumer fraud dept.
2. The American Dental Association as well as the place that liscences dentists (it might be the same)
3. The Better BUsiness Bureau
This complaints might or might not help you with the money, but they will at least be a headache for him & if the ADA is like the Bar association for lawyers, the complaint always stays on his record.
Personally, I never did any of the above with my dentist, I just never paid him. But its only bee a year & fairly shortly I'm going to be doing some work on my credtit. If he's got negative stuff there about me , I will go after him on the bottem 3, but I doubt I'll pay him anything, cause he really wronged me, pissed me off & worse of all, insulted me.
Let me know how u make out if u do play him
Harry
But to your situation: at this point you need to take emotion out of it and figure out what you want to do. In my case the decision was pretty simple- I just blew it off. My credit is screwed up anyhow, so I don't believe there is much they can do to me- but then again, I am in Florida, so who knows- maybe Jeb BUsh will come Over with Mrs. Bobit & give my yin yang to the dentist to hang on his wall.
But if your desire is to try to pay him off a little at a time and at the same time have a defense against a law suite this might work (I am not a lawyer so please Mr Ashcroft, don't arrest me for giving legal advise, i am only speaking hypothetically about what I might have a character do if I ever write a book were her name is Kerry & it is an exciting book about dentist fights- So go do something meaningful, like use the influence of your good office to make sure children in Alaska go to jail forlife for marijuana posession).
AAnyway, send a certified letter withy a check for about $50.00explaining that you will be sending them $10.00 a month until the principal of this bill is paid off and that their acceptance of the check affirms their agreement to your paying it this way. (There is a good chance that they will cash the check- and even if by error they have accepted your proposal. I think this is still a valid way to do things.) Also, without getting into detail, briefly mention in the letter that what they are doing by overcharging you more then you were told (I probably would use the words "overcharging you more then you were told- even though it is not proper English & you probbly sound like an illeterate, it definitely serves an idea purpose, in case it ever goes to court.) and you are paying this to avoid trouble for yourself.
Send it certified, keep copies of everything, & if they do accept the check , get a copy from your bank. Don't call them. If the check is accepted, like i said, i think you have an agreement. Just keep sending your $10.00 a month (no interest as you stated principal only in your letter.)
If they don't cash it , you have a defense that you did make a good faith effort.
NOW HERE COMES THE FUN PART, WHERE YOU CAN GET BACK AT YOUR DENTIST.
You believe he essentially frauded you, by telling you one price, doing the work, and charging you more. You have made arrangements to pay him, (or attempted to) under protest (as you said in your letter to him) because you fear him.
THE ABOVE IS WHAT YOU COULD STATE ON YOUR LETTER OF COMPLAINT TO: 1. The attorney generals consumer fraud dept.
2. The American Dental Association as well as the place that liscences dentists (it might be the same)
3. The Better BUsiness Bureau
This complaints might or might not help you with the money, but they will at least be a headache for him & if the ADA is like the Bar association for lawyers, the complaint always stays on his record.
Personally, I never did any of the above with my dentist, I just never paid him. But its only bee a year & fairly shortly I'm going to be doing some work on my credtit. If he's got negative stuff there about me , I will go after him on the bottem 3, but I doubt I'll pay him anything, cause he really wronged me, pissed me off & worse of all, insulted me.
Let me know how u make out if u do play him
Harry
little beach. Hello guys I have not been on for a while, I have been back to work. But I work in Dental offices, I have my entire life. I can tell you one thing that I have noticed over the years. If you dont have Ins that they participate in they will stick it to you. If they are signed up to participate with a particular Ins co then they take the discounted charge the Ins offers which is about 1/2. But anyways, I have learned from working front and back office that it is not appropriate to do work for a patient without discussing fees up front, a surprise charge such as that really upsets patients. FOR ONE a Partial as you describe which we refer to as a " flipper" only costs the dentist about $80, tht is what the lab charges them to make it. The mark up is ridiculous. I also would continue to argue with that dental office about this charge. They did not warn you of this charge and it certainly should have been preauthorized with your ins and you on the charge. It is always a customary for a dental office to file ins and do pre-authorization regardless if they HAVE to or not. They will not have many patients if they continue doing business this way. I know in the past when I ran front office. The dentist would authorize me to WRITE OFF the charge above and beyond what our cost was at the lab if we receive payment after 1 year. I would say as long as it is the Dental office doing the collection activity, DONT PAY. they may write it off, explain to them you refuse to pay, and if they do turn it over to a collection agency, IF the agency can get you to pay , the detist only gets a portion about 1/2. They have to pay the collection agency for the service, so many that I have dealt with in the past jusst write it off rather than deal with it. Hope everyone has been well.
Oh, Dog, You UNDERSTAND!!
I am going to do what you said, and called the insurance company today and they are sending me what the dentist submitted.
I am going to write letters, to all the mentioned above, and to the head of our dental office that handles these things. The dentist himself was a nice man; but his staff was the problem, and the way they handled it. They treated me like I was stupid. I hate being treated like I am stupid.
I found out that the extra $453 was $253 (what the insurance should have paid) and the other $200 was the "office charge" for not having insurance. How does this make sense? They charge me more for not having insurance??
I have been told by one of ours to let this go....pay themoney and let it go.
But, it is the principle.
Funny, my little skitzo alchy personality is still working on that one.....I think it is listed as a "character defect."
Any, I am glad to hear from your other posts that you are doing better, and want to thank you for your consistantly amusing posts.
Your fellow spodet..
Kerry
I am going to do what you said, and called the insurance company today and they are sending me what the dentist submitted.
I am going to write letters, to all the mentioned above, and to the head of our dental office that handles these things. The dentist himself was a nice man; but his staff was the problem, and the way they handled it. They treated me like I was stupid. I hate being treated like I am stupid.
I found out that the extra $453 was $253 (what the insurance should have paid) and the other $200 was the "office charge" for not having insurance. How does this make sense? They charge me more for not having insurance??
I have been told by one of ours to let this go....pay themoney and let it go.
But, it is the principle.
Funny, my little skitzo alchy personality is still working on that one.....I think it is listed as a "character defect."
Any, I am glad to hear from your other posts that you are doing better, and want to thank you for your consistantly amusing posts.
Your fellow spodet..
Kerry
Hey little Beach, I just brought this back so you wouldn't forget to e-mail or write those letters. Please let me know how you make out. at this point, you have a free roll of the dice, cause he already'took ya' kinda. You can only win from hear on. Let me know how you make out--- I might just keep buggin you every few days with this 'till u tell me you wrote, that way u won't blow it off.
I wrote a letter to the editor. It never got printed...I also wrote on on child support, that never got printed either.....
But, thank you. I tend to not follow through, and I need to get those letters written....
Speaking of child support, the jerk owes me $39,000 to date. What other state wouldn't jail you at this point?????
Kerry
But, thank you. I tend to not follow through, and I need to get those letters written....
Speaking of child support, the jerk owes me $39,000 to date. What other state wouldn't jail you at this point?????
Kerry
Angie, if they take it to collections, does it hurt my credit if I pay the creditor??
What makes me mad is that he said if I write letters, he will charge me the whole amount.
I saw the bill and estimate which I signed...it went like this
time********* Insurance*********** patient co-pay
553 ******** $253.00********** $104.00
at the bottom of the paper I signed it stated, "if insurance doesn't cover, you may be charged the full amount, including the amount in the time column."
But, when you are reading it, you don't look closely at that. And "time" is an inflated amount. It isn't even written out as a money figure...so it is deceptive.
They didn't run a preauthorization, which makes me mad. They should know teeth 13 wouldn't be covered; they should know what insurance would pay and what it won't; they do it all the time....
So, should I argue it?? I plan on writing a letter to the head of the my dental insurance, but if I fight it, and it goes to collections, will I get slapped on my credit?
They sent me a "promisary" note for me to sign that I will make 3 payments of $89.00....what now??
I am mad about this; it is the principle. Plus, I know that it doesn't cost them $553 to make those things. If I had any idea it was going to cost that much, I would have applied that money to the $1,300 they want to fix the tooth. I could have put (now, with their agreement) $353 towards the tooth. And, I lost the damn thing, which really makes me mad. Thanks for letting me vent.
Kerry
What makes me mad is that he said if I write letters, he will charge me the whole amount.
I saw the bill and estimate which I signed...it went like this
time********* Insurance*********** patient co-pay
553 ******** $253.00********** $104.00
at the bottom of the paper I signed it stated, "if insurance doesn't cover, you may be charged the full amount, including the amount in the time column."
But, when you are reading it, you don't look closely at that. And "time" is an inflated amount. It isn't even written out as a money figure...so it is deceptive.
They didn't run a preauthorization, which makes me mad. They should know teeth 13 wouldn't be covered; they should know what insurance would pay and what it won't; they do it all the time....
So, should I argue it?? I plan on writing a letter to the head of the my dental insurance, but if I fight it, and it goes to collections, will I get slapped on my credit?
They sent me a "promisary" note for me to sign that I will make 3 payments of $89.00....what now??
I am mad about this; it is the principle. Plus, I know that it doesn't cost them $553 to make those things. If I had any idea it was going to cost that much, I would have applied that money to the $1,300 they want to fix the tooth. I could have put (now, with their agreement) $353 towards the tooth. And, I lost the damn thing, which really makes me mad. Thanks for letting me vent.
Kerry
