Insurance
We are currently providers for the following insurance plans:
- Delta Dental
- Parkview Signature Care
- United HealthCare (Medicare)
During the past several decades, dental benefits have become an integral part of health care planning for many families.
Dental benefit plans are made available to employees or members
through companies, unions and associations, and may vary
considerably from one plan to the next.
The range of benefits depends solely on what the plan purchaser wishes to offer to employees or members. Some plans cover
as little as 30% or as much as 100% of the fees for dental
services, with most falling into the 50% to 80% range. Some
plans exclude certain types of services, such as orthodontics,
while other plans cover a full range of dental services.
Some plans base the amount of benefit on a chart or schedule of fees arbitrarily developed by insurance companies. For this
reason, you may receive a lower percentage of the reimbursement
level indicated in your dental plan. For example, if your
plan states that it will pay 80% of the “usual and customary”
cost of dental treatment, it means 80% of the fee as determined
by the insurance company, not necessarily the actual fee
charged by us
As the number of patients covered by dental plans has increased certain assumptions have become evident. We would like to
make clear the principles of our practice, as well as the
types of service and care we provide our patients:
- Our fees are based on the overhead involved in our practice, the treatment plan selected, and the time it takes us to provide
you with the necessary dental care. We do not believe
that it is in either of our best interests to compromise
the recommended treatment to accommodate a dental plan’s
maximum benefits. However, we are more than happy to
discuss a treatment plan’s advantages and disadvantages
with you to accommodate you in the health care decision-making
process. - The type of treatment you need and receive from us is based on our professional judgment and not on whether you are covered
by a dental benefits plan. - As a courtesy to you, our staff will file your claim.
- If you direct the insurance company to pay its share of the
cost directly to our office, you will receive credit
for the amount and be billed for the balance. Upon receipt
of payment from the third-party, our staff will reconcile
the amount, and bill or refund any difference. - If your dental benefits plan requires a “pre-determination” or “prior authorization,” we will submit a treatment plan for
review by the third-party payer. However, please remember
that the financial obligation for dental treatment is
between you and this office. The third-party payer is
responsible to you and not this office. - If you receive communication from the third-party payer suggesting that our fee is over and above the “usual and customary
rate” for the services provided to you, it may not take
into account local factors pertaining to Columbia City/Roanoke
in establishing its schedule. Additionally, its geographic
area may include the entire county or state. Insurance
companies do not, and are not required to, divulge how
they arrive at these numbers and often try to imply that
out-of-network providers (i.e. doctors that refuse to
join the insurance company’s plans) overcharge their
patients by providing low “usual and customary” fees. - If, after our discussion, you believe that the dental benefits provided by your plan are inadequate, you may want to discuss
the matter with your employer, union, or association,
so that appropriate alternatives can be investigated.
We will file your claims, handle insurance queries, process follow-ups or lost claims, etc. No question is too small for
you to ask, whether it is about treatment, benefit plan,
or statement. Stop in, or call, any time you have a question.
We are here to help you.