How will I know what I need to pay at each visit?
Payment in full is expected at each appointment. Our office provides all patients with the anticipated payments required at each visit. If there are any questions before arriving for an appointment, please call the office and our staff will be happy to discuss this with you.
What type of payments do you take?
Our office accepts cash, VISA, Mastercard, Discover, and debit card. We also offer third party, no-interest financing through CareCredit - upon approval.
What if I have Dental Insurance for my child?
Some patients may have some type of dental insurance. We are insurance friendly and, in the majority of cases, we are able and pleased to assist you in maximizing your benefits. We will need to receive your current insurance information 24 hours prior to your visit, and we may ask you to confirm this info at subsequent visits to remain up-to-date and fully informed to serve you. As a courtesy, we file all claim forms electronically, provide postage for special claims, and we track claims for you.
We make every effort to accurately estimate your benefits and out-of-pocket expense prior to your treatment, because we want you to be able to plan accordingly. However, most insurance companies do not give an exact quote until a claim has actually been received and processed. Because of this, the coverage quotes we have from insurance companies are estimates only and not a guarantee of payment.
On the day services are rendered, you will be asked to pay the portion that we estimate your insurance will not cover, based on what we know about your plan. We then file the claim and the insurance portion will be paid directly to our office after it has been processed. If the insurance payment will be directly deposited or sent to you, then you will be asked for payment in its entirety on the day of services. Additionally, any amount not covered by your insurance will be your responsibility.
We must emphasize that as dental care providers, our relationship is with you and your child. We are considered an out-of-network provider, as we do not have a contract with any insurance company. If you should have any questions regarding the above information, please don't hesitate to ask. We will be happy to help you in any way possible.
Why doesn't my insurance pay it all?
Your insurance is a contract between you and your insurance company. As such, we have no say in the selection of your insurance, the type of plan or your benefits. Your insurance company will pay the minimum amount that it deems, without the benefit of examining or treating your child. We base all of our treatment on what is best for your child, not your insurance company.
Facts You Should Know About Dental Insurance:
In an effort to help you understand your insurance policy and maximize your insurance benefits, we would like to share some facts about dental insurance with you.
FACT #I - Dental insurance is a contract between you, your employer and the insurance company. We are not a party to that contract.
FACT #2 - Dental insurance is NOT meant to cover all fees. It is meant to be an aid to your investment in your child’s dental healthcare. Many routine dental services are not covered by dental insurance.
FACT #3 - Many carriers claim that they reimburse the insured promptly "up to 80% or up to 100% of the total fees." In actuality, we have found that most plans cover about 40%-50% of average fees. Some plans pay more, some less. The less paid for the insurance by your employer, the less coverage you will receive.
FACT #4 - Usual, Customary or Reasonable Fees, UCR, a term used by your insurance carrier, is an arbitrary amount which the insurance company chooses to pay for each procedure. It is not based on the average charge of practicing specialist in the area; it is merely the "allowable" amount they will reimburse so they can make a net 20%-30% profit. Our fees are within range of other pediatric dental offices in the area.
FACT #5 - Insurance companies will not release the exact amount they will pay for a procedure until the treatment is completed and the claim is submitted. They will only state the percentage of their fee schedule that they will cover.
We will make every effort to assure you receive maximum benefits. We will file your insurance at no charge. In order to provide this service, we will need your updated insurance information before each appointment.
Please do not hesitate to ask questions about our financial policy. We want you to be comfortable in dealing with these matters. If you have any questions regarding your insurance, we ask that you contact your company regarding the specifics and details of your plan.
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