Dentist grumpage

[vineyardblues]

Quick story,
Daughter is in college, wants to spred her wings and get her own dentist, both wife and i have insurance. She found one she likes, they look over our insurance ,they tell her she is covered 80 %
She has three small cavities
We get a bill for 500.00 because my insurance will not pay for White /fillers only silver. I call dentist they say just contest this with your insurance , i do , comes back .. NOT going to cover .
I call dentist back , they say that they no not user silver filling , never.
Now , my daughter was there 3 maybe 4 times . Never once did they tell her she was not covered and the person who did is no longer working for them. I told them they are at error and they said no they are not and will give a payment plan for one year interest free ...
What do u all think ?
Btw , i did call and ask my insurance if the dentist ever called or contacted them for a est. and they said no........

[PaulS]

Their not contacting the insurance company doesn't mean anything as they would have known what is covered and what is not. They should have told your daughter what her cost would be. Ask them if they ever did. I'd pay the bill, file a complaint with the state dept. of insur. and find a new dentist. The insur. Dept.won't do anything but they'll at least have a complaint against him on file. I'd send a complaint to the dental assoc. also. Good luck.
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[Fly Rod]

Should have checked with your insurance provider before allowing daughter go to dentist....some dentist use silver in the back teeth and white on frontteeth that R going to show....

sorry about your problem.

[Piscator]

I went to a new dentist a few years back who told me I had 3 small cavities...thought it was odd and didn't go back for fillings...switched dentists and went to a new one (neighbor is the hygienist). They checked, did x-rays and said I had no cavities at all. That was 4 years ago, I go every 6 months and no sign of cavity...just goes to show you how different folks "practice"

[beamie]

Your insurance Co. sux. Many dentists, although it is more expensive, are going to the white epoxy fillers. There seems to be some thoughts that silver in your mouth all those years possibly leads to certain illnesses......could be als, not sure.

Your should get an itemized bill that shoes the difference between silver and epoxy. The exam is the same and the drilling is the same etc etc. Basically they should be paying say 50% not 0%.

[vineyardblues]

Beamie,
You are correct , about the sliver fillings...uggg
My insurance did pay 20 %. Just not 80 if it had been the ugly ,danger ,danger silver fillings
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[Clammer]

i have no dental coverage .....so I talked to the Dentist .....I pay him in green cash ..........................big, big , difference

$ 500 for 3 cavities w/ coverage is a f #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&g not a filling

[beamie]

Medical billing....insurance...... is no different than any other business.

I remember after one of the hurricanes/Noreasters people hiring crane service to get there boat out of the parking lot after breaking from thier moorings. If you didn't have ins and were paying cash it was like say $500 with ins $4000....

No different that you at the Dentist Clammer.

[TheSpecialist]

We got a new dentist this past year, and the hygienist told me I needed scalings. Scalings are covered under our insurance. I had the scalings done, and about 6 months later got a $585 bill from the dentist for the scalings. Called the dentist and they had put it in again. This went on for a couple of months, then the billing woman at he Dentist told me to call the insurance and complain. I called the insurance and they told me the Dentist office lacked the evidence that I needed scaling based on the notes so they were refusing to pay.

Long story short I talked to the Billing woman and told her it wasn't my fault that the insurance company felt the dentist hadn't proved a need. I also suggested that in the future maybe they should exagerate the need in the notes. The billing woman spoke to the Dentist and they agreed that I shouldn't pay and they cleared the bill

[thefishingfreak]

I am having a bunch of work done. I said "I'm not gunna to pay a ton of money here for cosmetic stuff, just do what's necessary "
My dentist says "ohh don't worry, insurance will cover it, we just need to spread it out over a few years". ok kool.
long story short, they maxed out my plan in late December for the calendar year and stuck me with a 1300.00 bill. They said "oops we should have waited another week to submit that invoice"

[Nebe]

Crooks
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[Swimmer]

I have a thing with both my dentist, and got it out of the way when I started seeing each, peridontalist about 13 years ago, and the regular guy for fillings and my partial about four years ago. I sat down in the chair and they both ask me if their was anything I needed to know. Seperately I told them that if I feel pain so will they. We have had a great relationship ever since.
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And I am not chitting you. Don Silberman, a peridontalist in Brockton, best decision I ever made.
, and Dr. Coyne in Bridgewater, awesome guy as well.

[EricW]

Originally Posted by beamie

Your insurance Co. sux. Many dentists, although it is more expensive, are going to the white epoxy fillers. There seems to be some thoughts that silver in your mouth all those years possibly leads to certain illnesses......could be als, not sure.
.

It isn't the Silver in the amalgam filling, it is the mercury they contain that some see as a cause for concern. That is a whole debate, but I agree best to go with white fillings. I am lucky to have learned that 35 years ago from a very progressive dentist who was using composite fillings before many others were. I have had only white fillings since I was a kid. Some have held up, but others have had to be re done.
As far as insurance, they either pay for that type of filling or they don't you can always get a pre treatment estimate from them.

What I don't like is that there is usually a cap like 1200 for yearly benefit. Even with a "cadillac" dental plan from a generous employer. Doesn't go too far at the dental office these days.

[FishermanTim]

Yeah, I feel your pain.
With the cost of most "procedures", dental plans don't do much for you if you need multiple visits or major work.

What gets me is he cavalier approach they have when presenting you with a bill for more than a month's salary!

Your best bet is to have a relative in that field, so that even if they can't do the work, they can steer you in the right direction and give you an ida of the costs involved.