Exquisite Dental Care Reviews (%countItem)
Exquisite Dental Care Rating
Address: 300 North Washington Street, Suite 210, Alexandria, Virginia, United States, 22314
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I am writing for this business to refund the approximately $65 that I am owed.
As a preliminary matter, I reached out to this business prior to my first appointment. I specified that I would be a new patient and needed confirmation that I would only be charged for the copayment. The representative assured me that I would only be charged for the copyment.
With that understanding, I had an appointment. Thereafter, I received a bill in the mail indicating that I needed to pay an additional $65.00 approximately. I immediately called, and spoke with the same representative. She recognized me from the previous conversation and even said that she “thought I would probably call”, and could provide no explanation of why I was charged this amount. I paid the amount immediately, and provided my credit card information, since otherwise the letter indicated that they could send this to collections.
Two weeks ago, I put in writing my complaint via e-mail. Again, the Office refused to return this money. Their argument appears to be that this is a matter that insurance should have involved. That is simply untrue, and a mischaracterization of the billing process. This was a separate letter – sent by their office – requesting the amount of $65 from me. My insurance paid the other amount, separately from their request. I was specifically told by their representative prior to attending the appointment that my payment would be only the co-payment, and I received this assurance. To then change their policy, send this letter requesting payment with specifying that a collections agency would be involved, puts a consumer at an unfair advantage.
I would ask this company to take a step back and reflect on what occurred here. I’m not sure how else I could have handled this matter. I reached out to explicitly ask a question on payment. I then was told a specific answer. The company then chose to charge beyond this rate. I have spent time on my own to try to resolve this matter – reaching out to them directly, to no avail. I had mentioned that I would be writing a *** Review to warn other customers about payment issues, but I do not wish to do that, as I have no interest in disparaging a company publicly when a resolution could be easily achieved by refunding the $65. I do hope they use this as a learning lesson as well in the basic fairness of how to treat customers. Yes, medical billing is complicated, but when a customer explicitly asks a representative of their company a question and asks for assurance that it will not be a charge beyond the co-payment (and receives that assurance) it is a matter of principle that the company honor that commitment. I am disappointed that this company has chose to treat a customer in this manner.
Doctor R is friendly and professional and I enjoyed my experience at her office. It is disappointing, however, that she is choosing to not resolve this matter in a fair manner.
In reading *** reviews, it appears unfortunately that other reviewers have also been given information by representatives of the agency – financial costs of the services – only to then be billed later, with the bill specifying bill collection services.
Obviously, the amount here of approximately $65 is not as important as the principle. The representatives are agents of the company – and to be assured one price only to then receive a written communication which specifies that they will pursue with bill collections if not paid – is unfair, aggressive, and wrong. I hope the Office promptly refunds this amount, and learns from this mistake on their end. There are many other customers that lack the legal degree or advocacy to self-advocate, and I do hope that this company is not treating others in a similar manner. I have already expended time attempting for a resolution, and would appreciate the company finally providing a refund before me having to expend additional time reporting this directly to the
Virginia Dental Association.
Mar 3 2020
We are responding to the customer's complaint. The patient presented to the office a new patient. Our policy remains the same when scheduling. We check with insurance to make sure first, we are in network, secondly, if the patient will have a copayment for the visit. As the disclaimer say when calling any insurance company "WE DO NOT GUARANTEE PAYMENT". Here at Exquisite Dental Care we provide excellent service. We do our research on the insurance benefits before the patient comes in for the appointment. We collect copayment and send the claim out to the insurance for the remaining balance. If the insurance company does not pay for the services for whatever reasoning they might have, the patient is responsible for that balance. As a courtesy to our patients, we inquire to the insurance company for the denial of payment. It is the patient responsibility to know there insurance. When becoming a new patient here at our office you have 5 forms which the patient fill out and one is THE FINANICAL POLICY stating "Please understand that everything is an ESTIMATE based upon information we have received from your insurance company. It is not always 100% accurate. Our office does NOT guarantee payment by your insurance carrier. In addition. We are unable to enter a dispute with your carrier. This is your obligation and responsibility. We will aid you in any way to get the claims paid. If you have any outstanding balance with us and the insurance company pays you directly, it is your obligation to send us payment for your dental services. It is also your responsibility to infor in your dental coverage." Attached along with this letter will be a signed copy of the Financial Policy from the patient. Also a copy of the Explanation of Benefits for the claim. If you need any additional information you may contact the office directly.
[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
Complaint: ***
I am rejecting this response because:Unfortunately, the dentist here chose to respond by omitting the key part here: a customer being specifically told by a representative (and agent) of her company of a specific price. The customer specifically was told this in unequivocal terms. Notably, the dentist here is not claiming that the representative never told me this information. Instead, she is relaying upon signed information performed subsequent to this communication by her agent.This conversation with the agent is what induces people to come to her office. If she finds it reasonable for a customer to be told explicit information - and a customer, in fact, confirming this information prior to the visit - and relaying upon that same patient then "signing away" that information, then that's fine. I will be reporting this conduct to the Professional Board. It appears from online information that this is not the first time that patients have been overcharged.Again, the dentist here is apparently conceding that her agent was telling customers false information. Customers are induced by this false information to then make and show up for an appointment. If the dentist believes this was a reasonable act on behalf of a customer, then please confirm, and I will escalate this to the Board of Professional Overseers in her jursidiction. As a consumer advocate, I am disheartened by her response. This is about a larger principle here of what is fair to tell customers - particularly new customers - to induce them to come to the appointment. Providing false information to customers is simply not okay. Others to not have the advocacy skills or knowledge to report this behavior, so I am happy to do so to make sure that others are not treated in this same manner: being told specific payment information by her agent (with no disclaimers of any kind), the dentist not even challenging these facts, only for her to rely upon signed paper work subsequent to that initial communication that induces patients to come to her office in the first place.Let me again express my disappointment at this unprofessional and unethical conduct.
Regards,
***, Esq.