Local Dentist Contracted By Va

[HolliGreen]

Hi, I have missed you all, I have had computer trouble plus dealing with a greedy dentist. I will give you the situation in a nutshell and if anyone has any advice or ideas, it would be very much appreciated. Background: a dentist whom I have been a patient of for 18 years (my hubby for 14 years) agreed (by performing the work and accepting VA monies) to a contract with the VA to fill a few cavities. The particular VA dental office had a year long wait list but nonetheless I added myself to the list, after one year a person from the dental office called me and asked if I would rather see the VA dentist or a local dentist. At the time it seemed like a no brainer, my local dentist of the last 18 years was a few miles away. The VA mailed the paperwork (aka the contract) for the dentist and work commenced in Oct 06. During the past few weeks it has become glaringly obvious the dentist nor his office manager read the paperwork from the VA. The office manager also billed my insurance company and is also squeezing me for $1600.00. I have spoken to the head of the VA dental department along with the VA disbursing unit and both have said the dentist has been paid in full as per the contract. I have helped explain how "it" all works to the office manager but it falls on deaf ears. The VA folks can say the dentist is paid in full and the disbursing guy can also say that but who is being told they owe $1600.00? Me. I asked the disbursing guy what happens if the dentist does not receive $1600.00 (that the VA is responsible for) from me. He said it sounds like this will go to court. This is very distressing. Turns out the office manager has been billing my insurance company all along. This seems like the dentist/office manager did not read the contract and now are cooking up a way to get 1600.00 from me. However, if anything is paid to the dentist from me, the payment is an acknowledgement of the 1600.00 being a valid debt (it is not) and the court would side with the dentist. Help is appreciated. And THANK YOU to TBIRD for help with the computer problem. Holli

[LarryJ]

Holli,

FIRST, contact YOUR insurance company. They really do HATE to pay claims, when someone else (the VA in this particular instance) is responsible for payment. Especially when someone else (the VA in this particular instance) has ALREADY paid the claim.

SECOND, contact your State Department of Insurance (or whatever they call it wherever you live) and report the dentist office (they really do hate it when someone files fraudulent insurance claims).

THIRD, contact your State Attorney General's office and report the dentist office (they really do hate it when someone files fraudulent insurance claims).....

FOURTH, contact your state Dental Association, or whatever they call it where you live, and report the dentist (they really do hate it when a dentist files fraudulent insurance claims, makes the rest of the dental profession look bad, etc....).

FIFTH, if that doesn't do any good.......go down to your local legal aid office and get you some legal representation.

I assure you, before you get to step #3........this will all go away.

[Speaking Out]

LarryJ gave you excellent advice. You could also call your local news investigation team and tell them your story. You are right and you don't owe that dentist anything. Hang in there. Oh yeah, document every phone call you make in a notebook with date, time, who, when, where, what was said. Good luck!

[Pete53]

I am pretty sure that the VA contract limits your exposure on this. Good Luck.

[HolliGreen]

Thank you all for the excellent advice. LarryJ, you know I contacted my insurance company and they appear to be not that concerned. This whole situation feels like an episode of The Twilight Zone. Yesterday, my hubby and I went to the dentist's office and during questioning of the office manager, we caught her in two lies. I again told her, for what was probably the 500th time, the insurance company was never to be billed yet incredibly she said "we always bill the insurance company", I said this was a contract between the dentist and the VA but it was like she was deaf...I am due to call the VA in awhile to explain to the disbursing guy what happened yesterday. This apathy my insurance company has is weird to say the least. Thanks again, you all. This whole situation has given me an entirely new perspective on my now ex-dentist and the dentistry profession in general. For a much needed chuckle, my husband and I watched a B-movie called The Dentist last weekend. It has former LA Law actor Corbin Bernson as a pill addicted murderous dentist who begins a morning of mayhem with a call from the IRS. I recommend this film! see ya, holli ;)

[Pete53]

Holli:

You are killing me I am scheduled to have a broken tooth pulled and restoration on two teeth this month.

[HolliGreen]

Hi Pete53, I will keep positive thoughts for you when you have the dental work. Holli