Originally Posted by expatdoc

I dont think medical insurance is much better with that regard but dental for sure seems more bunch of cowboys.

Looks like I will get my teeth done next time in Blighty by my mates from dental school who were there when I did medicine.

Again I paid squat for med school in england but I worked there for a few years but I still feel a loyalty there for giving me the education and I still feel medical education is FAR superior there to here, undergrad wise.

Looking back I came to the US looking for that golden ticket. I may have seen bright lights etc etc but have been disappointed in so many ways.

Hence those people that come on here saying want to live near disneyland, nyc, hollywood think again the reality here is very different.

Originally Posted by expatdoc

Just out of curiosity forget about the 5k but how on earth did you get a machete injury?!!

Originally Posted by anotherlimey

.... My machete injury had me waiting in ER for 7 hours before I was seen (OK, not insurance related); the final bill will run into the teens I imagine, .....

Originally Posted by anotherlimey

Hmm I don't think that's all dental insurance though. Mine has a price list I can refer to.

My medical insurance on the other hand is a joke. My machete injury had me waiting in ER for 7 hours before I was seen (OK, not insurance related); the final bill will run into the teens I imagine, because I had an operation to clean the wound. My share will probably be around 5k.

Originally Posted by vikingsail

Perhaps petitief might consider finding another dentist. In my experience dental offices are fully aware of how much they will likely receive from a particular insurer - the good ones have it down to a science. I have never been surprised by a bill so I gently suggest the issue lies with the competency of the dental office business staff.

Originally Posted by petitefrancaise

no. I don't think so. If you read what I wrote you will see that I phoned my insurance company myself.
My dentist's staff are first class and as a very experienced dental hygienist who was also a practice manager at one point, I think I know good staff. I also confirmed this information on dentaltown - it is the norm in the USA and a constant source of irritation for dentists in the US.

Like most excellent dentists, mine is out of network for all insurance companies. He refuses to be told how to work and what to charge. For this reason, they will not tell him or me what they will reimburse. Your practice must be in-network and are charging what they are told to in order to be in-network.

Originally Posted by vikingsail

Fair enough, I guess that's the choice when you go out of network. Although there is always the other side of the coin for professionals who are not accepted by insurance companies its not a one sided view (well I suppose it always is for some). Perhaps they don't meet the requirements of the Insurance company? Claiming, refusing to be told how to work/ what to charge may possibly be obsfuscation for a different reality - just saying....

Originally Posted by petitefrancaise

actually, it mostly comes down to money. The insurance companies don't pay enough and most practices that are in-network are often new start ups or struggling to get enough new patients.

My own dental insurance pays out the same whether the practice is in network or out of network but we have good insurance.

Originally Posted by petitefrancaise

actually, it mostly comes down to money. The insurance companies don't pay enough and most practices that are in-network are often new start ups or struggling to get enough new patients.

My own dental insurance pays out the same whether the practice is in network or out of network but we have good insurance.

Originally Posted by vikingsail

Well I suppose my dentist who owns three highly regarded and awarded offices in a city of 1.4 million and has been in business for 25 years must be still be considered a start up in the dental world then??

I truly believe a dental business office that cannot accurately predict costs in or out of network is being less than honest with its clientele. After all, it is the lifeblood of the business ...However, some of them do seem to have rather expensive and idiosyncratic tastes to support:
Cecil the Lion Died One Year Ago—Here's What's Happened Since

Which less than honest accounting would certainly help fund.

Originally Posted by petitefrancaise

actually, it mostly comes down to money. The insurance companies don't pay enough

Originally Posted by Anian

You mean "as much as he wants". You won't find any dentists who are struggling to pay the bills unless they have no patients, it's not one of the underpaid professions.

Originally Posted by petitefrancaise

really?

paying for their education to become a dentist, paying for the practice start up costs - all that equipment is not cheap, paying for staff, paying for the premises, mandatory ongoing dental education, insurance.

I know plenty of dentists that struggle for years and years to make a decent living and provide good treatment for their patients.

Originally Posted by ddsrph

Most dentist I know, myself included would much rather the patient paid upfront, given a detailed receipt and deal with the insurance company themselves. It is after all their insurance and the dental office is doing them a big favor to file it for them at a great cost of time, money and aggravation.