I made my second trip to the dentist for 2011 yesterday. For almost ten years (up until the spring of 2009)....I had the same dentist. He was retired Army....he operated out of the converted garage....and he was the best dentist that I'd had in my entire life. Now returned to the US....I'm kinda shaking my head at my choice for a dentist.
This new guy has various technology items and wants to show me the structural strength of my teeth, my gums, and just about anything in my mouth. I'm kind wondering if this is a step forward....but I shouldn't question matters like this....I guess.
The bill from the first visit....almost four months ago? Well....that's kinda amusing too. I have dental insurance via the government.....and it was supposed to be a direct-pay deal. So 60 days after my first visit....I get a bill. Naturally, I hate seeing bills unpaid, so I paid it. I waited four weeks to submit to the insurance company....and they promptly come back to me to say that they've paid the bill. I look at the amount....the $260 total bill? Well....they paid $120 and suggest my payment to him should only be $50. Yeah, they are saying he kinda overcharged at what the plan's patients should pay.
So I brought this to the dentist office and chatted with the front desk lady. I kinda wanted credit. Then she tells me that they haven't been paid yet and it might be another month. I'm scratching my head....it'd be five months after the fact when she finally gets the money and clears me. I might get credit....but it'd be at least two to three months before I see credit. Meanwhile, I have a fresh bill.
I am longing for my old dentist, his garage dentist office, just paying him with a credit card and getting reimbursed by my old insurance company within three weeks.