Insurance Plan Dentists: Finding a Dentist

Many patients for different reasons find themselves in a situation of finding a dentist. Quite a few of these patients have a dental insurance plan which offers a list of “preferred providers.” This sounds like an easy way to find a dentist, right?
Well, the truth of the matter is that these dentists or dental organizations enter into a contract with the insurance companies to be listed as “in network,” or to be listed as “preferred providers.” By signing this contract, the dentists are caring for patients at a discounted fee. The fees may be decreased as much as by 35%. Would a 35% reduction in your take-home pay affect your standard of living? I invite you to consider that. . . Would a 35% reduction in your take-home pay affect your standard of living?
OK, so let’s apply this to these “in network” dental offices. Would up to a 35% reduction in their fees from these insurers affect their standard of providing dental care? This reduction places pressure on these dental offices financially. This pressure may affect their standard of providing dental care. How these fee reductions are managed by these dental offices are determined by the dentist, by the practice management company, or by the retail organization which manages the dental office. Not only that, but quite a few insurers are reducing their allowable fee structure.
Yes, you got that right. Quite a few insurers, even out-of-network contracts, are REDUCING the allowable fee structure. In this day and time of increasing fees, costs, and prices for almost everything, especially healthcare, how can the insurers do this? Well, they just do. This allowable fee reduction pressures all practices. When added to those who are already reducing their fees to be “in network,” the pressures are even greater financially. And this occurs at a time when each of the top five paid CEO’s of the largest publicly traded health insurance companies in 2016 made over $15 million. The insurers care most for their bottom lines. The quality of care that patients receive are up to the dentists, the practice managers, or the retail organization who manage the practices, not the insurers.
If you are interested in finding a dental office that is free from these fee reducing contracts, that is owned and operated by the same dentist, that is patient-centered, quality-oriented, and value-conscious for its valued patients, we invite you to meet us. Feel free to find out more about us, feel free to find out more about Dr. Venincasa, and feel free to make an appointment with us at (972) 250-2580.