We’ve put together this guide on how we handle your dental insurance so you know what to expect from us, and make sure your insurance benefits are working for you. Our mission at South San Francisco Dental Care is to provide excellent dental care by combining the best of modern technology with unparalleled customer service. This includes working with your insurance company, so you don’t have to.
As a complimentary service to you, we will:
Check your insurance benefits
Estimate your insurance coverage
Submit claims on your behalf
Your Insurance Does Not Affect Your Care
Money is not our priority, but your care is. Dental insurance is a great way to make your dental care more affordable. However most dental insurances are not designed to cover all the necessary treatment you may need. We will only recommend treatment that is necessary, regardless of your insurance coverage. Your treatment plan is guided by your dentist's commitment to give you a healthy and long-lasting smile, and not by your insurance benefits.
If we see an oral health concern, we will use an intra-oral camera, a camera for your mouth, so you can see exactly what we see. Our digital full-mouth x-rays also give us a whole view of your oral health. By using the latest modern digital technology to document your dental care, you can be confident that you're being served with integrity and honesty.
We’re on Your Side Not Dental Insurance Companies
After we design a treatment plan, we will also prepare a financial arrangement for you. We will contact your insurance company to get the details of your insurance coverage and estimate your out-pocket-costs. Although we do our best to get the most accurate information, we cannot guarantee the information your insurance company provides to us is up to date. What your insurance company ends up covering may also change and they may not approve your claim.
We will properly document your condition along with intra-oral images and x-rays, to increase the chances your claim will be approved. We will do all we can to help you make the most of your insurance benefits and lower your out-of-pocket expenses. Rest assured that we’re on your side - not the dental insurance company - whenever it comes to your dental care.
The Confusing Explanation of Benefits
After your treatment, you may receive an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from your insurance in the mail. This is not a bill and may not reflect any payments that you made during your appointment. Many patients often find this confusing and we completely understand. Please review it carefully and if you think there's a mistake, contact us immediately and we’ll go over it with you and fix it if we need to. If you ever have any concerns or questions about a letter you receive from your insurance company, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Understanding Your Insurance Coverage
Just like medical insurance there are many terms and conditions you may need to familiarize yourself with to better understand your coverage and your costs. Delta Dental has an excellent glossary, and we’ve copied the most common terms you’ll likely hear us use when we go over your benefits:
Copayment A fixed dollar amount that you are required to pay at the time the service is rendered.
Deductible A dollar amount that you (or your family, if it’s a joint account) must pay for certain covered services before your insurance begins paying benefits
Preauthorization A requirement that recommended treatment must first be approved by your insurance company before the treatment is rendered in order for the plan to pay benefits for those services.
Out-of-pocket costs Any amount you are responsible for paying, such as coinsurance or copayments, deductibles and costs above the annual maximum.
Communication is Key
We know that when it comes to dental insurance things can get confusing and frustrating. You may even wonder whose side we’re on. We’ve built our practice on our patient’s confidence that we’re always on their side. Our goal is to make sure that your dental insurance works for you and that you get the most benefit from your coverage We would never want miscommunication or finances to get between us, so if you ever have any concerns or questions about billing or insurance benefits please do not hesitate to contact us.
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