Can this be a ground for disciplinary action for a dentist?

[calin]

Went to a dentist and he changed his diagnosis which I couldn't be convinced of so I ended up going to another dentist. I contacted him to cancel the appointment that he set up without my asking for it, so he canceled the appointment, but now he is claiming that my insurance company did not pay the cost of initial consultation, x-ray and cleaning which was about 3 months ago. However, the EOB doesn't say that the claim was denied, but was paid the full contract price 3 months ago.

If I get this matter squared away to show the dentist is in error, do I have option to complain to my state board of dentistry, BBB or even a malpractice lawsuit? I am offended by his claim that my insurance company has not paid him whereas the insurance company EOB doesn't say the claim was denied, and his hard headed attitude that could not convince me to believe his diagnosis which led me the inconvenience to hire another dentist. Overall, this is causing me hassle and inconvenience, because I have to do legwork between the dentist and the insurance company.... Your opinion or advice?

[philibert63]

Wow- you really want to sue over an inconvenience? The dentist did nothing wrong. There was an accounting error on the part of his billing staff. You shouldn't be talking to the dentist himself about the billing issue.

He changed his diagnosis? You had a consultation, x-rays and cleaning. What diagnosis was there? Cavities? Gingivitis? Sometimes those are better seen after a cleaning, so a change in a diagnosis isn't abnormal.

You can complain all you want. You can sue all you want. You will get nowhere but create more problems for yourself. Get over it. Fix the billing issue and move on with your life!

[sayre]

jessica

No. It is a billing dispute. Solve the problem and get on with life. The doctor performed his services and deserves to be paid. Someone in his office messed up the billing information.

It has nothing to do with bad medicine or malpractice.... You chose one diagnosis over the other. That is why they say 'get a second opinion'... sometimes a third!

Soccerref

[anglesey34]

In most of the health plans in my area - the dentist bills the insurance. The insurance pays the contract price. Then the dentist bills you for the balance. It's possible that you are being held responsible for the balance of the bill.

If you don't want the hassle of doing leg work between the dentist and the insurance - then don't file on the insurance and pay out of pocket. You incurred the service. You are responsible for the bill. The dentist bills your insurance company as a courtesy. They don't have to do that. I suspect that when you went to the dentist you had to sign a paper that said you would be responsible for the bill.

From what you've posted, you don't have grounds for a valid dispute.

[choviohoya]

In most of the health plans in my area - the dentist bills the insurance. The insurance pays the contract price. Then the dentist bills you for the balance. It's possible that you are being held responsible for the balance of the bill.

If you don't want the hassle of doing leg work between the dentist and the insurance - then don't file on the insurance and pay out of pocket. You incurred the service. You are responsible for the bill. The dentist bills your insurance company as a courtesy. They don't have to do that. I suspect that when you went to the dentist you had to sign a paper that said you would be responsible for the bill.

From what you've posted, you don't have grounds for a valid dispute.

In general state medical and dental boards do not get involved in fee charge disputes. If your only gripe with him is how you were billed and the error that resulted then forget alerting the state dental board.

You can't file malpractice over a billing dispute. Malpractice deals with issuance of care not how much you got billed and how paid for it.

You also seem ot be upset about his bedside manner. Even if he is hard headed that is zero grounds for any kind of complaint.

Complain by taking your business elsewhere.