We like to think that we can trust our medical providers, especially dentists since they are right in our mouths with various nefarious-looking instruments. But sometimes blind trust can create trouble.
When I moved to Florida in June 2020, I overlooked the somewhat dodgy billing practices of my new-to-me dentist. I had just relocated from Ohio and had other things on my mind. Plus, my Medicare Advantage Plan covered $1,000 worth of dental work.
The dentist billed the insurer for X-rays, a gum ablation (a removal of gum tissue) and two fillings. While there seemed to be discrepancies between the cost of services quoted to me before they were done and what I was being billed when the services were completed, I disregarded them since my out-of-pocket expenses were minimal.
Most Patients’ First Mistake
Typically — and I am hardly alone in this — I didn’t bother to review the claims my dentist was sending to the insurance company. According to Bill Frazier of ESP Benefit Design in Hilliard, Ohio, this is the first mistake many patients make.