My dentist charges me $30 for each visit for their PPE cloth

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Forum -> Household Management -> Finances

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amother

Mon, Jan 04 2021, 10:22 pm

I had a roote canal done and I was just looking at my bills for each visit I was charged a $30 PPE charge for the dentist to wear safety cloths while we also pay them to do work on our teeth! Has anyone had that recently?

ddmom

Mon, Jan 04 2021, 10:39 pm

You posted in gardening! Maybe switch forum? LOL

Never got a bill because I have insurance but it sounds like a lot!!

amother

Honeydew

Mon, Jan 04 2021, 10:44 pm

haven't seen that. Dentistry is the kind of business that relies on a certain number of 'bums in seats'. A lot of places are regulating dentistry now in a way that they can't see as many patients as 'before'..... so money is tight.... hence the nickel and diming on the PPE.

amother

Rose

Mon, Jan 04 2021, 10:45 pm

My dentist charges $30 but insurance denied the charge and said it is included in the visit so it gets removed.

amother

Blush

Mon, Jan 04 2021, 10:47 pm

My kids dentist charges $20 per child for PPE, you must pay at the visit. DH & me have been to several dentists during covid and none had a charge. I think they're just looking for ways to take advantage of people and make extra money. I don't believe that PPE and cleaning supplies cost $20 per patient, I didn't see more than the regular cleaning going on.

nycgal

Mon, Jan 04 2021, 10:48 pm

I don’t think they’re legally allowed to charge it but they try anyways. Call and ask them to remove it from your bill.

Amarante

Mon, Jan 04 2021, 11:49 pm

What difference does it make what they call the increase.

Based on the protocols my dentist uses, the cost per patient for each procedure is significantly higher. They see fewer patients per day and besides the PPE, they have clean each room between visits and installed new ventilation and air purification systems.

amother

Burlywood

Tue, Jan 05 2021, 3:46 am

nycgal wrote:

I don’t think they’re legally allowed to charge it but they try anyways. Call and ask them to remove it from your bill.

Why should it not be legal? I don’t live in the us but this is done now where I live too. Surely they can charge what they like for whatever they like? Take it or leave it no?

mp5

Tue, Jan 05 2021, 7:53 am

30 dollars for PPE???
Besides the fact that I never have been charged seperately for this at the dentist or in any healthcare system, in my line of work I sometimes need to gear up and sometimes with more than gloves and a mask, as in fully protective gown or overalls plus goggles and special masks, the cost does not get near 30 $.
Sounds very greedy to me.

zaq

Tue, Jan 05 2021, 8:23 am

It is illegal for providers to charge you for the PPE and disinfecting costs of COVID. Refuse to pay and let the dentist know that you will report him to the Federal Trade Commission if he doesn't reverse the charges.

watergirl

Tue, Jan 05 2021, 8:26 am

zaq wrote:

I googled. I can only find something saying this is illegal in NY.

For those in NY:

https://www.dentistryiq.com/co.....ctice

amother

Bronze

Tue, Jan 05 2021, 8:27 am

amother [ Burlywood ] wrote:

Why should it not be legal? I don’t live in the us but this is done now where I live too. Surely they can charge what they like for whatever they like? Take it or leave it no?

No, because it's not an actual free market with competition, and because they are not up front about costs.

amother

Honeydew

Tue, Jan 05 2021, 9:06 am

watergirl wrote:

I googled. I can only find something saying this is illegal in NY.

For those in NY:

https://www.dentistryiq.com/co.....ctice

Its not illegal. It violates the terms of the contract that the dentists have with insurers and the insured.

They could charge it to an uninsured person.

Amarante

Tue, Jan 05 2021, 10:06 am

amother [ Honeydew ] wrote:

Its not illegal. It violates the terms of the contract that the dentists have with insurers and the insured.

They could charge it to an uninsured person.

Most dentists don't take insurance - at least in my experience.

I would imagine that the rates for insurance companies have been negotiated starting in January for those who actually take insurance.

It wouldn't even impact people who have the type of insurance which covers you up to a certain amount for out of network services. Even when I had dental insurance, the amount reimbursed by insurance was only up to a certain amount for a procedure and my dentists always charged much more.

amother

Honeydew

Tue, Jan 05 2021, 10:11 am

Amarante wrote:

New York has some interesting regulations.

amother

Oak

Tue, Jan 05 2021, 10:15 am

In my itemized bill my dentist billed an extra 8 dollar charge which my dental insurance covered fully even though usually it just covers a percentage of care

Amarante

Tue, Jan 05 2021, 10:29 am

amother [ Honeydew ] wrote:

New York has some interesting regulations.

While that may be true, I am not sure how it has anything to do with my original post.

If a dentist doesn't accept insurance, the regulation concerning what may be charged by dentists who accept insurance TO THEIR INSURED PATIENTS has not relevance.

I would imagine that the reimbursement rates for dentists who do accept insurance is being negotiated so that increased costs are taken into consideration. Of course that depends on bargaining power of the dentist. In my experience dentists who have sufficient patients want nothing to do with accepting the low payments of insurance. Even people who had some form of dental insurance only go to dentists who aren't in the network and those dentists charge whatever they want and the patient waits for reimbursement for a percentage - but those patients aren't considered to be insured patients.

amother

Honeydew

Tue, Jan 05 2021, 10:46 am

Amarante wrote:

"This circular letter reminds insurers authorized to write accident and health insurance in New York State, Article 43 corporations, health maintenance organizations, student health plans certified pursuant to Insurance Law § 1124, municipal cooperative health benefit plans, and prepaid health services plans (collectively, “issuers”) that they should ensure that insureds are not charged fees by participating providers for covered services that go beyond the insureds’ financial responsibility as described in the insureds’ policies or contracts."

They are basically saying - the fee for PPE is directly related to service being provided (which is covered by insurance). The pt can't be separately charge for it.

It doesn't really matter what the coverage level is.

FranticFrummie

Tue, Jan 05 2021, 10:52 am

Because of Covid, dentists need to make upgrades to their practice and procedures. I get that.

What I don't understand, is why don't they deduct that as operating expenses when it comes tax time? It's a necessary improvement, not an interior design choice, and shouldn't be dumped on the clients.

If they are using the expenses as a tax deduction, AND charging the clients, that's double-dipping. I don't know if that's illegal, but it's certainly questionable.

Amarante

Tue, Jan 05 2021, 10:53 am

amother [ Honeydew ] wrote:

I don't think any of these cover dentists who don't accept insurance since the cost for services is always the responsibility of the insured. The dentist doesn't have anything to do with insurance beyond providing evidence that service was rendered.

This is different than services by a doctor who is in a network and agrees that insurance is full compensation for services. It's the same as a Medicare doctor who does not have the right to charge anything in addition to what Medicare reimburses. Or if you go to a doctor out of network, they can charge whatever they generally do and reimbursement by insurance is between you and the insurance company since the provider doesn't have a contract to provide services for a specific insurance reimbursement - that is exactly what being in the network means.

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