The fact that I am not typing a bunch of curse words right now is a testimony to my strength as a person. I am so mad I could bite nails.
In September, I went to the dentist and she wanted me to get a bite guard for my teeth. Her office told me my insurance would cover 80% of it. I put down a deposit and picked up the stupid guard 2 weeks later. The guard has never fit properly, and I've been in 3 or 4 times since picking it up to have it "adjusted". Basically, now I don't wear the thing because it makes my teeth hurt more.
Each time I went in for a followup, I asked if I owed any money. The answer was always "no".
Well, yesterday I got a bill for the full amount of the bite guard - nearly $600! Plus a nice service charge for it being "late." (let me say how I don't think so. You can't charge me a late fee for a bill you've never sent me.) And my deposit wasn't reflected on the bill either. Convenient for them.
So I call my insurance company. What's up? They tell me (for the first time I'm ever hearing this) that my employer has put a 1-year waiting period on major dental work. (nice to know I have insurance that I can't use for a year. lovely). Well, the insurer has my start date wrong. When I took the job, I was told I was covered from my first day. Yeah, well, el-cheapos tried to stiff me putting it back a month. If my start date was correct, the year wait would have been met.
ARGH! So you can see what I'll be doing all day. I'm going to start out being nice, but if I get screwed out of this money, I'm going to rip into not only the billing person at the dentist's office, but the dentist. I'm going to get her ass on the phone and make her feel like crap. Then, I'll be finding a new dentist.
14 comments:
Ooh, you're a stronger person than me, Carmen. I'd be cussing all the way in a situation like this, so props for your restraint.
Insurance people and dentists will always try to put the old screw-gee on their clients/patients, thinking that most people will keel over and accept whatever is thrown at them. Be the one who makes the difference, girl! Hope you manage to get your $$$ back.
Ooooooo boy. I'm going to wish you the best of luck on this one ...cuz if it was MY insurance company - the hardest part would be getting through to talk to a real person! And that would p me off right from the start! Take some time to smell the roses today dear -- your gonna need it!
Hey... how's the novel coming???
Oh wow that sucks with the insurance. I hope you get that all fixed soon. Maybe you should just tell the dentist that the stupid bite guard still hurts, you're not wearing it and your not paying for it either...gimme my money back!
I think that I should find out when this window of supposed accepted Christmas/birthday gifts is. I've tried arguing that my birthday is NOT on Christmas and even if it was I would want a separate gift.
I'd be mad. My human would be mad. In fact, she is mad just for you. I might have to bite her too to take out my agression. I hope you get this solved.
You go! That is so wrong! I hate when people try to screw me over and think I won't find out. Let us know what happens!
I got screwed a couple of years ago, too. The dentist told me that I had a crack down the center of one of my molars and that I would have to get a crown. He said, "Usually insurance pays for 80%." I even called my insurance company and asked what would be covered if I needed to get a crown - again I was told that 80% is normally covered. Then I get the dumb thing, pay a deposit and get a bill from my insurance company telling me that all I actually needed was a filling to fix the "crack" so they were only going to cover what they would have covered for a filling. The bill was for over $800 and they covered $50. Fortunately, my dentist feels bad and every visit they send out a new complaint/re-evaluation form to the insurance company.
I now don't get anything the dentist recommends until I hear back from the insurance company about specific information they have received from the dentist office and can tell mne exactly what they will/will not cover. I've been "needing" another crown (says said dentist) for a couple of years now and refuse to get it until the insurance company says they will cover it.
That's that. If they want to wait until I'm in so much pain that I want to sue - so be it. I just feel really sorry for them if I ever get to that point.
That does suck. I once got a bill from a collection agency trying to collect a bill from a doctor's office, when I had never received a bill from the office in the first place.
That's why I love my dentist friend!
that is so frustrating. Good luck in ripping them apart!
Geez. I used to wear a guard, but I found that I would bite harder on it than I ever did on my own teeth. I can't even relax when I'm sleeping.
Whazupwitdat?
I think the stress from the ill-fitting mouth guard is going to require you to use a mouth guard. It never ends.
i admire your restraint. stronger person than i...
That's absolutely ridiculous. I would be fuming mad! The hair on the back of my neck would be upright, and my claws would be unleashed! I hope you tear them a new poopshoot!
Work it out on your elliptical thing. That certainly blows. I hape you can work it out with the insurance people.
Thanks for keeping me healthy by commenting on my blog!
good luck with that then. I hate it when people try to screw you over. Don't take no for an answer, make them fix it!!
Post a Comment