I've been seeing the same dentist for the past 15 years. Today I had an appointment and when I arrived, I was told that they couldn't see me because I have Medicare and they didn't accept Medicare. I've had Medicare for the past 7 years and have always paid cash. They said they could be fined if they saw me. Is this true or were they making that up?
Thanks, Ken
I experienced an extremely high risk pregnancy and had to see a high risk specialist.
I almost died. My baby was in danger too. I was in an out of the hospital.
I ended up on complete bed rest for the duration of the pregnancy. My baby girl was born via an emergency cesarean section.
I went to pay for my first pregnancy visit at my doctor’s office and I was told that I did not have insurance!
Well, you can imagine my shock.
I immediately told the receptionist that she must be mistaken because my husband had good insurance.
So she says, “I will do as you ask and double check.”
When she called to verify she found out that my husband’s company had swapped the maternity insurance for dental insurance! We were screwed!
The inside joke between my husband and I was, “If we can figure out a way for the dentist to deliver our baby, then we are all set!”
So, I say to the receptionist at the doctor’s office, “Isn’t maternity insurance mandatory for employers to carry?”
She answers by saying, “Indeed, it is mandatory in most states. Only a few aren’t required.”
To which I said, “Let me guess, those few are ‘southern’ states.”
She says, “You guessed correctly. I am so very sorry!”
We made it through but our savings took a BIG hit!
High risk specialist without insurance cost a fortune!
Sometimes we have a safety net. Sometimes we don’t.
We either make it or we fall apart. Thankfully, we made it.
You are absolutely correct.
It was our responsibility to know the policy. I should clarify my posting.
The company had maternity insurance for ages.
We adopted our first daughter. So obviously, we didn’t use the maternity insurance that was provided.
Seven years later after we adopted, and without any medical intervention, I became pregnant.
I was shocked! I was in a fog and not thinking clearly.
We tried for so long to have a baby and were told that I would never conceive.
I had hormone treatments, surgery for endometriosis, three failed in vitro fertilization attempts, etc.
Nothing was successful in producing a pregnancy!
My surgery was four hours long. I was asked to give permission for medical students to be present at my surgery and allow filming of my surgery to be used in teaching students at medical universities. I agreed to the requests.
Our health insurance policy change occurred awhile before I became pregnant and we were no longer thinking about maternity coverage any longer. All of the other workers in the company had grown children so they no longer needed maternity insurance! It was swapped for dental coverage.
We were so thrilled to finally be parents of a beautiful baby girl and didn’t give much thought to a biological child after building our family through adoption.
When I expressed shock to my husband after being told of NO maternity insurance at the doctor’s office, he told me, “Oh yeah, all the others no longer need maternity insurance and knew that we adopted so they swapped it for dental insurance! Made sense to them.
I was primarily commenting mainly on how sad that only a few southern states at that time didn’t require the mandatory insurance that the majority of other states provided.
We were speechless when we saw our first ultrasound.
I was crying, my husband was crying. The nurse, ultrasound tech, office staff and doctor was crying.
I will never forget what my doctor told me, “It’s moments like today that I remember why I went into medicine.”
I wouldn’t change a thing. We have been richly blessed with two beautiful daughters.
There was a time that I didn’t think we would ever hold a baby in our arms.
So, it all worked out beautifully.
All of the heartaches were worth it in the end!
I apologize for the long posts.
I don’t take much for granted and am grateful for so much in my life.
Thanks for listening. I hope that I didn’t bore you to death!
As Geaton says, they view it as complicated.
Seems crazy to me but I am no expert on this topic!
Once I took my brother to get insurance for his motorcycle. He had cash on him. The agency refused his cash.
It seems like cash is not always welcomed these days.
I agree. All of those things that you mentioned make perfect sense when we give it more thought.
My brother didn’t always think things through.
I ended up having to take care of the situation.
This is only a thought that I am throwing out for the OP!
I have not used their services so I can’t recommend or not recommend them.
In my state there is a dental school run by a large university (LSU) that the public can use at discount rates.
I have no idea what the policies are at dental schools but I do know that the prices are greatly reduced.
Best of luck to you in finding dental care.
You know, I read things here which are totally wrong, sometimes sickening...the my tax dollars, etc, etc. Just disgusting, imo.
I have been on a one person mission to destroy that act, for alot of reasons. Jeez, if you could only see my response from my POS Senator, I will never vote for her again, ugh.
Sometimes I wish people did not just come to the site for the support. No one will ever rock the boat, please do not get me into that but just guess. The Wallstreetbets, completely entertains me, but they will change things and I wish that was what this is about but we do not have Daddy Elon, but wish we did.
I called around and found one who accepted $60 cash.
Why the first dentist keeps calling, I do not know. They won't stop. We hang up on them.
Now Medicaid for heath, dental and vision, you need to find doctors who except it. When u are on Medicaid, you are not allowed to pay cash and the doctor who excepts it can be fined.
We had this with my nephews Neurologist when he was on straight Medicaid. His Neurologist did not except Medicaid and was not allowed to except cash. We had to find a Medicaid Neurologist. Once, though he was on Medicare with Medicaid as a supplimental he was allowed to go back to his old Neurologist.
That is false. Some people have dental coverage through their Medicare advantage plans.
I would seriously have reported this to the AMA, or whatever watchdog agency oversees dentists! Stopping in the middle of a procedure! If that wasn't a classic "bait and switch" tactic, I don't know what is! Shame on them!
The reimbursement model gets too low - they can't afford the patient.
The OP says medicare. Does medicare do anything other than surgical dental work?
Also, you are paying cash, so what you are a member of or not a member of should not figure in things?
I would speak with your dentist again, ask what you are missing, and telling them you will take your/their story to the American Dental Assn. or the Dental Board of the State of ____________(your state) to ask for details. Tell them that you suspect there may be some patient abandonment here and you would like a letter of explanation as to why they can no longer treat you.
Have there been any problems between you and this dental group in the past?
I would ask the dentist if they know that cash customers are being turned away.
Call and leave a message on the dentist's voicemail or go in and request to see the doc. Be loud if you are brushed off so you can be heard by the person that you want to speak with. The front office workers in medical offices tend to be beyond ignorant towards patients and many times their employer has no clue that they are behaving so out of line.