Sorry you had that experience, sounds very strange to me. One thing I am sure of is that we don't try to "screw"(your phrase) patients out of money. There are a couple of potential explanations to the fuzzy math you received. I'm pretty good at math as I took up to Calculus IV in college, so these calculations are very simplistic. What's not simplistic is how insurance companies pay on procedures. Let me give you an example: Insurance says it pays 80% on fillings, easy enough. Well, it's not that easy. Sometimes they down grade white fillings (the only ones we do due to the absence of mercury) to a mercury filled metal filling amount. So a $200 filling that should only cost you $40, ends up costing you $90. The real villain here is the insurance company, not us. We give you the best filling you can get, they want to dictate that we put mercury in your mouth. We try to avoid telling you one price when we quote you and then having the insurance downgrade it. If we are honest up front and tell you what its really going to cost, it seems like we don't know our math, but we're just trying to give you a realist price. Now, having to wait 6 weeks for a refund is ridiculous, I agree. I've not heard of that before. If it takes the insurance company 3-4 weeks to pay, then two weeks to process a refund, then it may seems like 5-6 weeks, but in reality, it's only two after we got paid from the insurance company. I hope that gives you an idea of the complexity, but clearly we did not properly explain that to you and for that I sincerely apologize. Michael Riccobene, DDS
Kudos for coming on here over the years as it is nice to see a Dentist engaged with their patients. The Good Dr. hits it on the head when you talk about Health Care and Dental costs. A full time person employed at every office to verify insurance and then the insurance company changes the game. We have a system today that is almost impossible to understand and at every level people are employed to either verify or pay on each side. It should not be that complicated and again I can guarantee you if the government gets involved in will be worse. We need to get simplicity back into the Health Care business.
I just want to say that I have been going to Dr. Riccobene for several years...well, I see Dr. McNeely and Abernathy and I have loved the service I have received. The staff is wonderful, the treatment is wonderful....everything is great....I have been to other dentists before growing up, but nothing compares to the service I receive from them!
$59 cleaning for any 4042.com member I think I've answered all the questions asked here. As a courtesy to 4042.com members, we will do a $59 cleaning, exam and X-rays as we did last year. Call Garner office at 661-6161 (4042) or 934-1234 (McGees) and tell them you want the 4042.com special. BTW, this special will not expire for the next year. We'll revisit in 2013. Look forward to seeing many of you. Michael Riccobene, DDS
How about the Flowers office? I've got an appointment over there for next week as a new patient, based on the positive reviews I've read here, and my wife's positive experience over there last week with an extraction. Thanks!
Thanks Dr. R, my husband and I have had pleasant experiences in your 4042 office. I don't think either of us has had the pleasure of meeting you directly, but Dr. McNeely has been great! I appreciate that your software program allows the hygienists to give a ballpark $$ estimate on any future work that might be needed based on insurance coverage, deductibles, etc. The first time I had a filling, the hygienist explained to me that my insurance covered the silver fillings and you only offered white, therefore I would be paying the difference. There were no surprises at checkout when I came back for the filling. Your staff has always been very courteous and accommodating, kudos! I think its great that you come here and try to clear up any concerns people have. :cheers:
I've worked in the health insurance field most of my working life. One key difference I have found between medical and dental is that with dental, the "estimate" is usually off. Like Dr. R said (and I have never been to one of his offices or met him) the office can give the insurance company their normal charges but the insurance company doesn't always disclose how they intend to actually process the claim. With medical plans, they are usually very up front with their contracted providers about their policies. For example written policies or online claims software is available at no charge for providers to determine in advance of treatment what procedures will be "bundled" or "unbundled" into other codes and thus paid differently or denied. It is also important that if you have a dental PPO you understand if your provider is in their network. Mine is not and while they file the insurance as a courtesy and only ask me to pay up front the amount they estimate to be mine, they are not contractually obligated to write off the difference in their billed charge and what the insurance pays. Only contracted providers must do this. And lastly, with medical providers, they negotiate much lower reimbursement in order to be able to provide care for the insurance plan's members or risk losing substantial business. However, I've always felt that since they are willing to take lower rates for insureds, they should negotiate lower rates also for those without insurance.
I agree wholeheartedly with this! Everytime I get a statement on what the ins company pays vs what was billed it makes me scratch my head. They are rarely in the same ballpark. With that said, if I wan't very happy with my current dentist, I'd consider switching to Riccobene. Great job on addressing concerns in this thread and previous ones. :cheers:
i completely agree, i cannot say enough good about Dr. R., he got this dentist chicken coming to him on a regular basis and he has always been more than fair with me and mine, i personally am completely grateful to him:hurray::hurray::hurray:
I also think it's awesome how Dr. R is willing to come on here and address issues extremely respectfully. I have contemplated switching for years (I've been going to the same dentist since I was 11....now 35). I bought a Groupon (or one of those companies) a while back for Dr. R's office so I gotta give it a try! It also doesn't hurt that the very first time I met Dr. R was @ a 4042 function @ the Drafthouse and he bought all of us drinks! LOL :hurray:
I'm not really sure what you expected to hear. I'm assuming I'm one of the ones with "issues". I gave my account of having gone to this office 3 times and having a poor experience with the way the billing is done each time. We now have a different dentist and have not experienced any of the same problems. I am sure Dr. R is a good dentist, lots of others have said that he is, and I think it's wonderful that he came on here and tried to clear up any confusion/issues that people have had, but for me personally it doesn't make me feel any differently or that I have any "crow" to eat. Why would anyone that did have an issue feel that they have to come back on here and keep voicing that problem? Maybe the reason people like me are quiet today (or yesterday!) is because we've already given the review we came to give. I'm not trying to start an argument with anyone, I just don't understand why lack of a response after leaving a comment would be viewed as anything negative.
a simple thank you to Dr. Riccobene for coming on here to address your issues. and no one said anything negative, well except you. :lol:
