Query about Dentist Issue (teeth, cost, treatment, procedure)

[RoseGypsy]

I've recently started going to a new dentist that I really like. We went over the work I needed done, and his assistant then came in with a dental procedure/treatment/financial plan. At the end of our meeting, I asked for a copy of the treatment plan for myself and my husband (I'm on his dental plan and I signed a waiver which gives him access to my dental records). She said she couldn't give me the printout as it was for my file, but that she would write the information for me on a separate sheet. However when I got home I realized that she hadn't itemized the treatment plan, just wrote out what the overall total was, and what the insurance would pay on that total.

I called back later and asked if she could make a copy of the printout and my husband would collect it, or she could fax it to him. She stated that she couldn't do that, but didn't give a reason why. I then asked if they could just type up a basic plan that just showed each procedure, cost and insurance percentage. She said she'd ask and call me back. Later she called me and said that they couldn't do that either, but the dentist would be happy to meet with my husband to discuss my procedures, and she gave me an appointment time for the meeting. My husband just wants a printout for his records, and doesn't understand why they need to see him at all.

I'm completely baffled by this as my husband's dentist always gives him detailed procedural copies prior to any dental work he receives. My kids dentist does the same.

I don't think we are being unreasonable, so can anyone shed any light on why they refuse to give us a copy for our records?

[toofache32]

I'm a dentist and I have no idea why they would keep that from you. My offices gives an itemized treatment plan to the patient with our fees, applicable insurance contributions, and estimated total charges (depending on what we think insurance will pay). We keep a copy the patient signs saying they understand they are responsible for anything the insurance does not pay.

[WildCard~]

My dentist prints out all the treatment plan and cost...Strange.

[AnonChick]

Mine does too, for anything that requires advance payment (I don't have to pay the bill for a yearly cleaning until I'm on my way out of their office).

[RoseGypsy]

Thanks for the replies. My husband met with the dentist and office manager, and they went through everything with him. They told him they need to submit the treatment plan to the insurance company for approval before giving us a copy, and that will take three weeks approx. I thought I could have a copy now for review and then update if the plan changed?

Meanwhile they want me to start my procedures asap. I just want an idea of all the procedures and an estimate of what they cost, for my records and my husband's, and I don't know why this is such a big deal to them..

[AnonChick]

Originally Posted by RoseGypsy

Thanks for the replies. My husband met with the dentist and office manager, and they went through everything with him. They told him they need to submit the treatment plan to the insurance company for approval before giving us a copy, and that will take three weeks approx. I thought I could have a copy now for review and then update if the plan changed?

Meanwhile they want me to start my procedures asap. I just want an idea of all the procedures and an estimate of what they cost, for my records and my husband's, and I don't know why this is such a big deal to them..

Yeah - no that wouldn't wash with me at all. The insurance company doesn't get to decide which procedures they will approve and pay for until *I* get to see which procedures *I* will approve and pay for.

Reason: if the insurance company refuses to pay for any of it, I still need to get the work done. And if I get the work done anyway, I'm the one who has to pay for it. The buck stops here.

If it were me I'd call the insurance company and tell them I am not having the treatment done at that dentist's office, but that yes I probably do need to have the work done and will have a new dentist submit the paperwork as soon as I find a new one.

And then I'd tell that first dentist's office to retract the submission they sent to the insurance company because I've chosen to take my business and my teeth elsewhere.