Along with the standard new patient paperwork (Personal info and medical history), we provide all our patients will certain financial policies or insurance information. The forms are written in normal everyday terminology, not dental or insurance terms, and actually go into detail to help patients understand how dental insurance works and how our office deals with dental insurance. I am really beginning to wonder if anyone actually reads these papers, because at least twice a day I have a new patient question me about something and I know that it was on the paperwork that we just gave them. They usually aren't asking for clarification, but are questioning things I say about their insurance, which I know were clearly explained in the paperwork we gave them to sign. I'm just curious, do people usually read the paperwork before they sign it or do they just skim over it and sign without knowing what it says?
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I've worked for an Endodotist and my brother who's a Cardiologist. And know what you mean. But I think it's a combo of other things as well. To some why read what you can ask. But to others they don't really understand the whole insurance thing. Or they either can't read or have trouble with reading and their to embrassed to say anything. So they just ask. What most think their to pay is different then what they pay. Example: When the insurance company say they will pay 80% of an exam doesn't mean the same we take it as. How they work it is this: Say you went to the doctors and the bill was $100. The insurance company will only pay 80% of what they think the bill should be. So if they think your exam should only cost $40 instead of $100 then they will pay 80% of $40. Not $100. Which is about $32. You are then left paying the difference unless you have a HMO insurance plan with a co-pay. Your co-pay is all you payreguardless of the bill amount. There are some procedures that may cost more and you may have to pay not just your co-pay but also a same amount of the difference. Like some Radiologist readings aren't always covered and they will bill you and you have to apy. There's alot of loop holes in the system and lots of physicans offices use them. Here's an example of that. Don't be surprise by this either. Medicare and Medicaid. Your on one of these. You go to the doctors. The bill is $100. Medicare/Medcaid decide the cost should have only been $40. So they pay the 80% of the $40 charged. Which they pay $32. Ok the office can charged you the difference between the full charge of $100 and the $40 they say it should be. Causing you to pay $60 for your visit. Yeah I know it sucks. People on these insurances don't know that can be charged the difference until they get a bill. How do I know this? Because when I worked for my brother his wife work for him too. She was a nurse and greedy as the word B*T*H. She went to a seminar on it and came back gimming that she could charge the difference. And she did. Their was nothing the patients could do. Can you believe that these old pepole on Medicare had to pay more money they didn't have cause of this? So if anyone has questions then they need to start calling their insurance company and ask every quetion until they understand everything. Or they need to go to their Human Resource Office and find out who handles the insurance and ask them. Find out if your on an HMO or a PPO plan or if you even have either one. There's still companys that you still pay 400+ a month for coverage and still have to pay a deductable. Like you may have to pay the first 1,000 buck before the insurance will even kick in for the year. Then if you have question start asking your employer or the insurance company themsleves. And start reading all the information. When people do this they can learn what they have and that there's a possiblity they might owe money before they have an exam of any kind. Understand what your insurance plan is and what they cover.
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