ComplaintsforAnsley Midtown Dental

• Initial Complaint

  02/15/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I pay for dental insurance that provides two cleanings and one X-ray at no cost... this is extra on top of the periodontal care I pay out of my pocket. I have been receiving obnoxious phone calls from a collections service when I'm owed rather than owe anything. I was out of town for four months in 2020 and upon returning after Thanksgiving I called the dental office, where I have gone for three years, to ask if I had gotten my two cleanings. They scheduled a cleaning on December 30th, two days before a new year started. It turns out it was a third cleaning as I recently learned, which wasn't needed and neither was the extra x'ray. And I paid $60 without notice for PPE - who is going to pay for my PPE costs. When I received a **** I wrote no less than a dozen times to inquire about it, no one responded. I called no less than half a dozen times and was told the 'billing person' would get back to me.... no one did. She told the receptionist if I received the **** I owe it. It was relayed to me. I'm disputing this charge. 1. no dentist ever sees me, only the person who does the cleaning. 2. A third cleaning wasn't requested when I had gotten two done in January and June, 2020 (according to Humana) and I pay for period care out of my pocket - when you have gum disease cleaning is not necessary. 3. $60 steep charge for PPE I paid for and it should not have been passed on to patients. 4. No dentist has ever saw me -t I had to go to an ENT specialist when I switched practice and the dentist found something on my tongue. 5. I was charged $68.50 for consultation -- what consultation!! by whom! 6. Another X-ray wasn't needed. These charges are all fraudulent without routine review by a dentist, and I have never met ************************** - I lived above the practice. Their lack of response to my emails ad (and phone calls from collections) are all very disturbing and aggravating. This amount needs to be waived - paid PPE $60.

  Business response

  02/16/2022

  To Whom It May ******************* letter is in response to the complaint.  I had spoken with ******************** regarding both the *** fees and her current account balance that has been turned over to collections.  The *** fees were as follows: $40 *** fee for her cleaning in January 2020 and $20 for her cleaning in July 2020.  Emails were sent to each patient 1 week prior to their appointment explaining the changes in the office due to Covid-19 and what the *** cost covered.  This is not a fee we arbitrarily included as the *** issued this a specific *** **** to identify this fee and help dentists cover the extraordinary costs to the extra steps, supplies, etc that needed to take place in order to operate during the pandemic.  

   

  I have attached her EOB from Humana explaining her out of pocket cost for her cleaning.  While I understand her insurance only covers 2 cleanings per year, I also explained to her that we always explain to patients their insurance is their responsibility.  I am not sure if/who she spoke with regarding her number of cleanings she had in 2020, however when patients call we do look in their charts and tell them the cleaning dates they are requesting.  I am not quite sure the events that happened, however, again, insurance is ultimately her responsibility.

   

  In response to her point 5 - the $68.50 fee is not for a consultation but for the Periodic Oral Examination done by Dr. *********** As far as another dentist finding something on her tongue, I have no way of finding what was found.  It is something that could have occurred after her last visit at our dental office.  I have also attached the notes charted by the hygienist.

  In response to her point 6 - our records indicate she had not had an X-ray since 8/06/2019.  X-rays are taken once a year, so by our records she was due to have her X-rays.  I have attached a screen shot of her X-ray record.

   

  So, after my conversation with ******************** explaining to her that the amount is due and she did not pay her balance after sending her many bills stating the balance was due, I sent her to collections.

   

   

   

  Customer response

  02/16/2022

   
  Complaint: 16767461
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  I specifically called to ask if I had gotten my two cleanings for the year.  They said no, and squeezed in one more cleaning which was not necessary and one more X-ray which was not needed.   My insurance covers two cleanings and one X-ray per year.   Two days later a new year was to begin.   I had one in January of 2020 and one mid year, according to Humana.

  I never saw a dentist there, and there has not been one since a dentist left the practice.  The cleaning was sub par because of COVID and a third cleaning was not needed or necessary.  They don't do perio maintenance   Plus, I had to pay $40 one visit and another $20 for 2nd visit for PPE which was not relayed or communicated via email.   I put it on my credit card and paid $60.    Usually if insurance does not cover PPE it's not passed along to patient -- My current dentist where I have cleaning and perio done has never charged for PPE.  

  When I received a **** I wrote to them.   I have a dozen emails in 2020 and no one responded to ask why there was a charge b/c I had never been charged before having gone to the practice for more than two years.  No calls were returned with explanation that they made a mistake and scheduled a third cleaning and took x-ray... when two days later a new year was to begin.   This is EXTRA precaution I take because I buy insurance that covers it.  Ordinarily people with gum disease only see a periodontist and get scaling done.    The billing person was left messages and relayed to the receptionist "if I received it I owed it."   Humana explained to me why there were erroneous charges - the appointment should not have been squeezed in when I called to ask if I had gotten the two cleanings covered by Humana

  I have not seen a dentist at this  place either -- it is highly unusual that not a trained professional looks over and inspects your mouth.   Nodes were found on my tongue when I switched practice.   I had to go see an ENT specialist.  

  Very obnoxious collections people were calling several times a day, and even looked at my LinkedIn profile.  I told them there was a mistake and I'm trying to get it corrected.    I'm very disappointed with the lack of professionalism,  over charging for PPE, and scheduling a third cleaning when my insurance covers two on December 30th.    I do not owe this **** and they have affected my credit rating - it needs to be taken care of and I will never go to their office. 

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

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