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Originally Posted by Gilda
Ok. I'll accept that this is true, but it seems strange to me. What about people from poor families who can't afford dental work or other most other medical care until they're adults? Surely I can't be the only one who moved from a poor family into a middle class professional career where health care is readily available for the first time as an adult.
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In spite of what many people think, there are MANY free medical and dental clinics for indigents. I've worked at two. The only adult I ever saw who had never been to the dentist was a recent illegal immigrant from Mexico. So you're somewhat unique!
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Out of curiosity, why? The insurance company isn't being affected in any way by their giving me a discount. I assumed it was like a sale at a department store, giving new customers a discount to get them to come back.
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Let's say the provider tells the insurance company a procedure costs $100. He then discounts it to $70 for you. Had he told the insurance he would accept a fee of $70, they would pay him $49. Since he misrepresented the fee, they pay $70. IOW, they lose money, and it's worse if he bills it out at $140, to get the $100 he really wanted. Insurance companies know all about this.
Secondly, it's well established that if a procedure is free, many people will agree to it. If it costs, sometimes they decline. You're an example. That's why so many insurance companies require a copayment--it greatly reduces the number of people who make claims, and saves the company a great deal of money.
I'm no fan of insurance companies, but I have to agree with them that overbilling is fraud. So do the courts.
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I don't smoke, and never have.
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My bad! I misinterpreted your first comment in the smoking thread, and I think I got you confused with someone else. Noob mistake.
What I said still goes, though. Anyone who smokes *much* is almost guaranteed to develop gum disease by age 40 or so.
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I don't know what retinopathy is. Like Ustwo's TMJ reference, this is the first time I've seen a reference to it.
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I am not in the eye field, but I can tell you that some disorders can cause blindness if not caught early. Glaucoma is the big one, but I've known two people who developed problems with their retinas. A regular eye examination is just a good idea.
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Our experinces have been quite different, then. I've had pain at the dentist, quite a bit that first five visits. I hate, hate, hate having that needle stuck in my gums
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You have a little self-fulfilling prophecy going on there. With 25 years of tartar and inflammation, you were guaranteed to have a less-than-wonderful experience. If you go every six months, not only should you not need to be stuck with needles, but it's unlikely to hurt.
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The difference between you and my dentist was that he didn't see it as "Your decisions are yours," but as a "You need to do this and do it on my schedule because I know what's best for you."
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Actually, it sounded to me like he DOES know what's best for you. That doesn't mean you have to do it, but everything you've reported sounds very likely to be what you need. He discounted your trip, and he didn't tell you that you needed multiple crowns. That's where the money is generated in family dental offices. However, it sounds like he and his staff are lacking in people skills. FWIW, if you have great insurance and expensive needs, most times their attitudes improve.
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Is it really a one size fits all form of health care? Aren't there going to be people who need a checkup every six months, others every year, some more often than six months? My sister goes to the gyno every three months because she has different needs from mine, while I go once a year and whenever I have a yeast infection or UTI, and most of time I can take care of the yeast infection at home with over the counter meds.
What if I'm one of those for whom once a year is enough? How do we know what schedule is best for everyone if we don't allow for individual differences?
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You might be, but if your cleanings hurt, unless Nurse Ratchet is doing the work, you're not getting them cleaned often enough. If your teeth or gums are in good shape, cleanings usually don't hurt.
There is a reason most insurances pay for two cleanings a year--that's what the average person needs.
I hope this helped.
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Edit: I hate this automerge "feature".
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You and me both.