Dental Insurance: “Scams”, Troubles, Unnecessity?
Meta: People pay for health insurance because it’s necessary. But what about dental insurance? Is it worth your paying? Not so much.
Back in the 1960s in the USA, Delta Dental has cooperated with many unions, organizations and private corporations to offer them with their dental coverage plans. That is how this industry began. Nowadays, thanks to large companies who give their employees dental insurance as an extra benefit, the industry is extremely flourishing.
In the USA, dental insurance is separated from regular health insurance, despite their being offered in conjunctions. And opposite to most people’ thought, insurance companies only pay a part of your total fees. And even you have a large family, or you are a fighter, you don’t need it.
Here we list some popular scams you may encounter.
Children’ teeth can be treated without a painkiller, and this gives children painful experiences. Those treatments are often low- quality, as patients may find some shoddy crows and their fillings falling out, or surgical debris stuck in their gums. Consequently, they need more treatments to correct those faults.
One person tells her story of being tricked. She had health insurance and received a Delta Dental coverage package as an add-on. Having decided to check her teeth, she had chosen a dentist from an online database and paid that dentist a visit. However, the dentist was dishonest and tried to persuade her for 3-4 appointments. The girl soon detected that she was tricked and never back again!
Inflated billings
The dentist in the above story, as well as other evil ones, are trying to overbill patients’ insurance plan. Their profession is dentistry, and that’s how they can easily fool you! They may do some minor procedures to increase the cost, such as root canals and cavity fillings.
Especially, some may use “phantom treatment.” They bill the insurance agencies the treatments they never perform, medicines and supplies they may not use. Furthermore, they create imaginary patients who have never received their treatments.
In fact, the maximum annual payouts from dental insurance plans should between 4000$-8000$ per year, according to MarketWatch.com. However, the real payments are in the range of 360$ to 720$ per year, and, somehow, those paying only include 2 free basic cleanings.
The first one is to make sure that you need the treatments. Don’t be deceived by their sweet tones. For more assurance, you can visit other dentists to verify your needs. And think again before deciding, as you may find suspicion in their words.
And, regularly revise your EOB with insurers and check your plan. Tell the authorities if you suspect a swindle and stay alert with your kids.
Introduction
Recently, there are more and more arguments about dental insurance, a relatively new consumer phenomenon. Some think that it is just some kind of “scams” and leads to troubles. Biased as it may be, problems have really happened.Overview
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| Dentists can do some tricks to make money from patients. |
In the USA, dental insurance is separated from regular health insurance, despite their being offered in conjunctions. And opposite to most people’ thought, insurance companies only pay a part of your total fees. And even you have a large family, or you are a fighter, you don’t need it.
Dental Insurance “Scams”
Dental insurance, whatever, is only some sort of business, and it needs to make as much profit as possible. In addition, besides most dentists who are honest and provide their patients with careful treatment, a small number of them are not so good. Those resulted in some situation people called “scams.”Here we list some popular scams you may encounter.
Worthless treatment
Bad dentists give some useless treatment on healthy patients to take extra money from insurance billings. The dentist may perform unnecessary surgery, remove healthy teeth, drill inexistent cavities and do root canals that are not needed.Children’ teeth can be treated without a painkiller, and this gives children painful experiences. Those treatments are often low- quality, as patients may find some shoddy crows and their fillings falling out, or surgical debris stuck in their gums. Consequently, they need more treatments to correct those faults.
Unnecessary dental plans and appointments
This may come from both dentists and insurance companies. Insurance companies sell fake dental plans, as they know little about teeth caring; they are businessmen, not dentists. And dentist, who takes the responsibility to take care of you, may trick you into paying extra visits.One person tells her story of being tricked. She had health insurance and received a Delta Dental coverage package as an add-on. Having decided to check her teeth, she had chosen a dentist from an online database and paid that dentist a visit. However, the dentist was dishonest and tried to persuade her for 3-4 appointments. The girl soon detected that she was tricked and never back again!
Inflated billings
The dentist in the above story, as well as other evil ones, are trying to overbill patients’ insurance plan. Their profession is dentistry, and that’s how they can easily fool you! They may do some minor procedures to increase the cost, such as root canals and cavity fillings.
Especially, some may use “phantom treatment.” They bill the insurance agencies the treatments they never perform, medicines and supplies they may not use. Furthermore, they create imaginary patients who have never received their treatments.
Unlicensed dentists and employees
Dentists sometimes can illegally treat their patients although they have lost their licenses for their previous infractions. Some dentists may have their assistants or staffs perform treatment, even though they are not qualified. Then they claim all the treatments to be theirs and bill the insurers. That is such dirty work, and of course, the services you received couldn’t be good.What You Receive From Dental Insurance
Problems, problems, and problems. The dental insurance is more bitter than you may think. |
| The cost of dental treatment is a problem. |
More money out of your pocket
Some people think that, with dental insurance, all their treatments are free. However, it’s not true, because insurance is only useful when you are in case of emergency, in which you may cost you a lot of money.In fact, the maximum annual payouts from dental insurance plans should between 4000$-8000$ per year, according to MarketWatch.com. However, the real payments are in the range of 360$ to 720$ per year, and, somehow, those paying only include 2 free basic cleanings.
Open opportunities for fraud
Dental insurance gives dishonest dentist chances to cheat on their customers. As some “scams” we have listed above, some dentists can make use of patients ‘lack of knowledge and lose policies of insurance companies to make a profit. And in some situation, the companies are the ones who trick their customers. The consequences of their actions are the rising of dental premiums and maxing out policy limitsThe danger to your health
Receiving low-quality treatments may do harm to your teeth. You may be infected from the unsafe surgery, and you will need more surgeries to correct the previous mistake. And who can guarantee that those surgeries are better than the last ones?Protect yourself
Seeing those drawbacks of dental insurance, you may want to do something to prevent. Well, we will tell you some tips.The first one is to make sure that you need the treatments. Don’t be deceived by their sweet tones. For more assurance, you can visit other dentists to verify your needs. And think again before deciding, as you may find suspicion in their words.
And, regularly revise your EOB with insurers and check your plan. Tell the authorities if you suspect a swindle and stay alert with your kids.
Conclusion
Dental insurance can sometimes be considered as “scams,” but with proper methods, you can avoid that. Remember, dental insurance can cause real redoubles, so, you must be careful when buying it.