Question
What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state? Arkansas
I started receiving bills from my dentist as of August 2005 for bills unpaid from 2003. It all started when my wife has to have fillings for her teeth. My insurance pays only for silver filling and the dentist does resin fillings only. We mentioned this to the lady in the fornt office and she mentioned that the dentist will waive of the difference. We thought that was great. We had a lot of work done since 2003 until early 2005. The dentist then found out that the lady in his front office was cheating him and fired her. It was in August 2005 that I received a bill for $500 for everything the insurance did not pay since 2003. I tried to reason with the dentist's office to waive some off or meet me half way since it was not my fault. Had I known about the charges before I would not have asked him to perform any of his services. Even my negotiations were unsuccessful and his office was rude to me and asked me to pay up. At that point (after about 5-6 calls to the office)I lost patience and just decided not to pay up. They sent it to a collection agency and I just ignored it. Finally I got a call from the collection agency asking me to pay up or face consequences. I am fed up with this.
What can I do?
Someone told me that if a medical bill has not been billed or paid in part for a service over two year, the bill cannot affect me.
Also, does a dental bill qualify as medical bill? Or is it possible for them to report it against my credit report?
Answer
Services were rendered and the provider is due the money owed him. If you don't pay it will go against your credit.
I find it curious that you state you would not have had the fillings if you knew you were going to have to pay for them. Are you insinuating the fillings were an unnecessary procedure?
Answer
Maybe I was not clear the first time. I did pay upfront my dedectible and 20% because my insurance is supposed to pay the rest. I can understand where the insurance has different rates and haggle for price. But that difference should not have been in hundreds. Besides the first time my insurance refused to pay in early 2003, the doctor's office should have let me known when I went back at the end of 2003. I would have paid up and walked away. Because then it would not have been but maybe $80 or so. But the dentist's office did not do anything and made me pay the deductible and 20% of silver filling for each service over the next two years. One fine day in 2005 they woke up and added all my unpaid insurance amount for three years and billed me a lumpsum amount. I tried to be reasonable and asked to be waived some amount (not entire) because it was not entirely my fault, but they refused.
Tooth filling is not something urgent and can wait for weeks most times, which in my case was true. I could have looked for another dentist who could have done silver filling for molar teeth that my insurance pays for.
Answer
From what you have posted, the problem was created because you failed to read and comprehend your dental insurance policy. You state the policy only pays for silver fillings, and your dentist only does resin fillings. But you also state in your follow up post that you expected the plan to pay the balance between what was charged and what you paid.
You can't have it both ways.
You have a bill from your dentist. You have an EOB from the carrier. You failed to reconcile the two and just assumed all was taken care of.
Obviously you assumed incorrectly.
This has already gone to collection, so it will appear on your credit report. The only remaining question is, how long are you going to let this go on before making payment in full?
Answer
I thought it was your wife's tooth fillings?
I am confused.
At any rate, whoever told you medical bills can't go on your credit is a flipping idiot.
They can and DO.
I see it every single day from people who just don't care to pay for services after they're seen by a physician.
Then everyone wonders why healthcare is so costly - it's partly to make up for the slackers who refuse to pay!!!!!!!!!!
I agree with you somewhat, that the original receptionist discounted you-however she didn't get clearance from the Big Guy before offering you the discount, and she was fired. You needed that in writing up front.
The bill is yours, and now it's at the credit bureaus and anytime you apply for credit now, that dental bill will show up on the credit worthiness inquiry.
You do need to pay it and soon. See if they'll settle for 80% of the balance due.