ComplaintsforSmalltown Dental Tremont

• Initial Complaint

  11/06/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 8/17/23 I had a root canal and crown procedure. Smalltown Dental Tremont informed me I must pay up front (not knowing what insurance would cover.) I’ve never had to pay up front before. I agreed anyways. I was charged $1,634. I needed to take out a Care Credit account in order to be able to afford it, which dinged my credit. Upon receiving the statement from my insurance company, my patient portion was only supposed to be $544.50, which I could have paid without opening a credit account. When I called the office, they argued with me about the amount I owed, even though I had the statement in my hands, and even emailed it to them. I was looking to be reimbursed. According to my statement, I was owed $1,089.50 from Smalltown Dental Tremont. On 10/11/23, I ended up discovering the discrepancy was because of a charge they had forgotten to submit to insurance. That day, the office manager told me she was going to reimburse insurance and resubmit the entire claim with that new charge. Fast forward to today 11/6, when I called ***** ****** to verify they had received this new claim. They had not. It was never submitted by Smalltown. I then called Smalltown and told them they’d had 3 months at this point to submit my claim and it’s time to pay me my money back they owe me, which was $1,089.50. They refused and told me they’ll submit the charge they had forgotten today. They offered to send me $366 for now and them “see what else we can get you after this claim goes through.” I still don’t have my money back. As a business, they should have eaten that last cost as they charged me an incorrect insanely high amount, forcing me to take out an unnecessary credit account, dinging my credit. Terrible patient/customer service, and I STILL haven’t been reimbursed. They’re whole reasoning for being paid up front is to ensure they get their money, as I sit here without mine. My insurance company informed me that since they’re in-network, they are NOT allowed to charge up front.

  Business response

  11/29/2023

  The ***** ****** of Illinois payment for services rendered 8/17/23 was received to the office by mail on 11/21/23. The check from ***** ****** IL was posted to the patient's ledger along with the associated write off for being an in-network provider with ***** ******, on 11/21/23. Patient was contacted after her ledger was updated with the insurance payment/adjustment and she agreed with the refund amount of $981.50. I offered to hold the refund check at the office if she wanted to pick it up and avoid waiting on the postal service, and she requested that it be mailed to her. The refund has been processed and her ledger reflects that accordingly, refund check of $981.50 (chk# ****) was mailed out to patient 11/21/23. I read her the address we have on file for her & she confirmed the address is correct.
  
  
  Resolution reached: Patient agreed with the refund amount of $981.50 and requested that it be mailed to her address. The refund check was mailed out to the address that she confirmed on 11/21/23. Patient received check #**** for $981.50, and it was cashed on 11/28/23.

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