If you’ve ever been forced to pay for a dental bill upfront after treatment, you know that services can get expensive. When dentist costs are high, you may try to push off treatment because of a lack of money or funds. This often leads to further problems, as the longer you leave an oral issue alone, the worse it can get. When an oral issue gets worse, it’ll cost more for you in the long run. This vicious cycle causes people stress and put them in unhealthy situations. To combat this, some dentists offer direct billing. Direct billing dentist can help patients reduce their out of pocket costs and thus encourage them to visit the office when an issue appears.
What is Direct Billing?
Direct billing is a system where an electronic transaction is completed between your dentist and your insurance company. When you visit a dental clinic, your dentist will send an invoice to your insurance company with the total cost of the procedure to see how much money associated with the procedure they’ll cover.
The insurer will respond with a number and explanation, and the insurance company will pay your dentist directly. As a result, you’ll only have to pay your dentist what the insurance company will not cover in the procedure.
For example, if you have a $300 procedure done and your insurance company will pay 60% of the cost, you’ll only have to pay $100 out of pocket. Direct billing is a quick and simple way to ensure that all patients receive care they need in a more affordable way.
Why Don’t All Dentists Accept Insurance Payments?
There are many reasons why all dentist don’t accept insurance payments and therefore participate in direct billing. They all revolve around the risk that the dental clinics have to put themselves in.
First of all, insurance payments often take a long time. It’s known that insurance companies can take up to 30 days to pay dentists directly, and this can lead to payroll issues within the dentist’s office. Waiting this long for reimbursements can cause stress for the company.
In addition to this, more money has to be spent to support the system. Administrative duties must be paid for, as do education of new claim policies.
Lastly, if there is a problem with the claim, the dentist may not receive payment and assume liability. This often happens after a patient leaves, so they are left stuck. Essentially, all dentists don’t choose to accept insurance payments because it puts them at risk of monetary loss. Finding a dentist who accepts direct billing can be difficult, but look no further!
What if You Can’t Afford Treatment?
Despite this process being in place, some people may not be able to afford dental costs. This still leaves patients fearful, as if they can’t afford treatment, they postpone their treatment. The more the treatment is postponed, the worse the condition gets.
Thankfully, there are solutions for people who can’t afford the cost of their treatment. Some dental clinics offer financing for patients. This means that if they can’t afford the full cost upfront, they can set up a payment plan with the clinic.
This saves people the stress of making an immediate payment. Make sure to look for a direct billing dentist who offers this financing option if you’re worried about upfront payments.
Find a Direct Billing Dentist
If you’re searching for a direct billing dentist in Calgary, Inglewood Family Dental can help. We offer direct billing for patients, and we provide in-office financing as well. This means we’ll do everything we can to help you get the care you need at an affordable price.
Be sure to contact us to schedule a consultation with us to determine how we can help you best.
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