Steven A Goodman DDS

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ***, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:
No due diligence is complete by relying just on an insurer's listings. As part of my due diligence, I always follow up with practitioner offices directly because provider websites are known to be outdated at times, or not updated immediately when a change is made to provider listings My presenting concern is the poor practice on the dentist's part, which led to this miscommunication, is saying over the phone that they accept the insurance without taking down the prospective client's information to check! Again the dentist is inaccurately recalling the conversation I don't think this back and forth over the "I said, he said" is going anywhere I had to undergo a hefty payment for a miscommunication for which the dentist's office also bears responsibility The issues which I've presented, are that best practices were not followed by this officeOver the phone, no affirmation of insurance should be given with such certainty before taking down insurance detailsAs I've stated before, I indicated the name of *** USA coverage just as it's stated on my card, when I was told they accept it The office made multiple phone calls to me, only to ask if I could come earlier, never asking for my insurance identification Even on my arrival to the office in good form I provided the information to them so they could do what is any reasonable, well-run practice's job, which is to check with the client's insurance, before conducting services.
In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above
Sincerely,
*** ***

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ***, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:
Any thorough patient will confirm with both the insurance provider and the care provider that her/his insurance is accepted. Because the mobile site of my insurance provider was not displaying results correctly, I followed through by calling dental providers that they accept my insurance. There is no intent to deceive the provider. I clearly stated on the phone when I called to ask whether the dentist accepted my insurance, that it is ***, just as it's stated on my insurance card. Any provider I have dealt with in many years has always taken the patient's insurance information and confirmed with the insurance provider, before accepting the patient, that the coverage is acceptable for care. The claim that I did not make clear what insurance I had, and its specifics, is erroneous. This is the problem when a provider simply, and casually, accepts clients over the phone by saying they accept ***, without first taking thorough insurance information to check on their end. I made clear it was ***. The office after making my appointment, called me twice as a courtesy to remind me of the appointment. Never during either call did they take my insurance information details to confirm coverage. Even when arriving for my appointment, I made sure to offer my insurance card so they could do their due diligence. As a best practice, the office staff or dentist in this case who made the appointment should have proactively asked for this information well before my arrival a week after the initial phone call. Had this been done I would not have stepped in the office and utilized my time, that of the dentist, and have been forced to pay $out of pocket. I never anticipated such a situation where as a patient, I'm in the middle of my care, and suddenly at that point, the office billing staff does its check with my insurance. Had they been clear over the phone and even in the days before the appointment about its policy, such as by taking my insurance information and checking it, this whole circumstance would not have transpired.
In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above
Sincerely,
*** ***

[redacted] has stated in his complaint that our office made errors in his billing. This is not correct. Not only has our office addressed his concerns and conceded in helping him, we provided him with...

services he, himself requested.
[redacted] was referred by a current patient of our office in December of 2013. On that date we performed a clinical examination, basic cleaning, and only 4 dental x-rays. We advised [redacted] we would need a full mouth series of dental x-rays. On downloading and printing his Met Life benefit level and frequency limitation information (which we still posses), the site indicated, from the information [redacted] had given us, restrictions on his X-rays to once every 5 years.There were no other limitations listed.
Realizing this. we deferred the full series (taking only [redacted]) and asking [redacted] to have a copy of the x-rays forwarded to our office from his prior dentist. We never received any such copy.
[redacted] stated on his health history form that he desired " deep cleanings." We could not provide this service on that same date, but rescheduled pt for the next week. The patient never showed, nor called to cancel this reserved appointment time. He was not charged for this broken appointment.
In March,2014, [redacted] came to continue treatment. It was indicated on the same downloaded information received from Met Life site, that [redacted] did not have any restrictions on periodontal care reimbursement. Nor did [redacted] indicate that he had, within the past 2 years, been provided with the deep cleaning services he himself requested. We proceeded to provide these services to [redacted], who did not complain until both he and our office found out, only after submission, that one of his prior dentists had submitted for this type of therapy within the past 2 years.
Given the information provided by both [redacted] and his insurance company we did our best to survey benefit levels and limitations. Neither he nor his insurance company provided us with enough information to exactly pinpoint benefits for this service. We are not members of Met Life Insurance. We provided [redacted] with not only treatment that was appropriate, but needed and requested directly by him. We clearly have a form, that [redacted] signed, indicating that the full balance of what is left over after insurance, is his full responsibility. Patients who do not sign this form pay us directly. We never promise patients what they will get from insurance and this form indicates that fact. It is impossible to guarantee any patient what they will get and [redacted] was fully informed. He is only angered, not by our treatment, but what his insurance company reimbursed toward the treatment.
Even though [redacted] honestly owed our office for work performed, we tried to compromise in lowering his out of pocket costs because we understood the difficulty he had with his insurance reimbursement rules.
This is becoming an increasingly difficult problem, not just for patients, but for dentists as well. When he refused to pay his bill, even after this concession, we referred his account to a collection agency. Last week he created a scene at our office and stated he was refinancing his mortgage and our office was interfering with re financing. We advised [redacted], the next day, that we would lower the collection agency fee assessed to him by $100. Even after this, we were met with anger and threats.
We have done everything we feel we could do in providing the level of care [redacted] was entitled to. This complaint is unrelated to the level of care that was delivered, and more related to what his insurance paid. It is not related in any way to a billing error, which [redacted] contends. We do not and will not, with any certainty, promise any patient a reimbursement that will be delivered by their insurance company. Only an estimate. We were not only fair with [redacted], but gracious.

[redacted] selected a form of [redacted] Insurance that is an [redacted]. He did not select a [redacted] Premier or [redacted] PPO form of the insurance which we accept and have many patients of. When signing up for his selection of reduced form of [redacted] insurance, he has access to and given a list of providers. We are not on this list. The [redacted] site he signed up for clearly states that : "Under the [redacted] USA plan, you must visit your selected / assigned [redacted] USA general dentist to recieve benefits. Then a list of providers are given: The following is the URL from the [redacted] site. We are not on this list. We have never been on this list nor do we advertise we are, nor do we bait and switch. The patient did not advise us of his [redacted] dental status, just of his [redacted] status. He did not diligently do his homework and follow the [redacted] USA guidelines to select a dentist within his limited network which is clearly visible to him on their website an ytime, as well as his contract. His disappointment has been aimed at us, rather than his own due diligence and clear instructions from [redacted] upon signup. [redacted] provider line is ###-###-####. A copy of the web site and contract has been faxed and emailed to the Revdex.com. [redacted] has provided us with the patients contract and provider information which we have sent to you separately by both fax and mail. When you receive this information (fax and mail), please review it. It is self-explanatory.

This response is to certify that [redacted] did not notify us that he had an [redacted] dental product until after we started dental treatment. We do not accept any, nor do we advertise that we accept any, nor do we advise any patient that we accept any form of [redacted] dental insurance. We are members of...

[redacted] Dental. The patient did not inform myself or any of my staff that he had (and had personally chosen an [redacted] product vs. a PPO product (which we do in fact accept). The form of [redacted], which the patient has chosen, is a very restrictive form of insurance. When he called me directly, he asked if I accepted [redacted]. We do. But he never advised me that he chose a [redacted] form of the [redacted] for which patients are given a list of participating accepting Dentists. I am not, nor have I ever been, nor will ever be on this list. We have never had any other patient that has ever had this [redacted]. It is up to the patient, who is given a list of providers by [redacted]- e specially in this case (where he himself chose a "different product"), to first understand his insurance and check the list of providers that is given. He presented himself to me only as [redacted] Insurance ( not as [redacted] which I and my staff have never heard of) and we have and will be providers of [redacted]- but not of the product he has chosen and seems to have either not understood or misrepresented. He is the one who is angry. We provided him with a comprehensive examination and full mouth series of x-rays which he protests as exorbitant for $175. It is absolutely not, nor did I become hostile or angry. I held up cleaning his teeth only because he did not want to pay for them to be cleaned. I have never had a dispute with Revdex.com. I have never had an [redacted] patient complain after treatment that they had to pay for the services we rendered. We provided him with complete comprehensive care at a very minimal cost. The patient demanded copies of his x-rays which we gladly ga ve to him.

This response is to certify that [redacted] did not notify us that he had an [redacted] dental product until after we started dental treatment. We do not accept any, nor do we advertise that we accept...

any, nor do we advise any patient that we accept any form of [redacted] dental insurance. We are members of [redacted] Dental. The patient did not inform myself or any of my staff that he had (and had personally chosen an [redacted] product vs. a PPO product (which we do in fact accept). The form of [redacted], which the patient has chosen, is a very restrictive form of insurance. When he called me directly, he asked if I accepted [redacted]. We do. But he never advised me that he chose a [redacted] form of the [redacted] for which patients are given a list of participating accepting Dentists. I am not, nor have I ever been, nor will ever be on this list. We have never had any other patient that has ever had this [redacted]. It is up to the patient, who is given a list of providers by [redacted]- e specially in this case (where he himself chose a "different product"), to first understand his insurance and check the list of providers that is given. He presented himself to me only as [redacted] Insurance ( not as [redacted] which I and my staff have never heard of) and we have and will be providers of [redacted]- but not of the product he has chosen and seems to have either not understood or misrepresented. He is the one who is angry. We provided him with a comprehensive examination and full mouth series of x-rays which he protests as exorbitant for $175. It is absolutely not, nor did I become hostile or angry. I held up cleaning his teeth only because he did not want to pay for them to be cleaned. I have never had a dispute with Revdex.com. I have never had an [redacted] patient complain after treatment that they had to pay for the services we rendered. We provided him with complete comprehensive care at a very minimal cost. The patient demanded copies of his x-rays which we gladly ga ve to him.

Review: I went to Dr. Goodman and was told after my first visit they made an error in billing and I had a balance of $150.00. I explained to his office that I had never been told after a dental visit that I owed more than what I was told I was originally responsible for. They asked to split the difference and asked me to pay $70.00. I told Dr. Goodman I was happy with his service and agreed to initial bill revisal. The reason they gave me for the error was that they did not know how much I would owe until after they contacted my insurance company. On my next visit I voiced concern about getting another billing error and did not want to be billed an amount I did not agree to before services were rendered. Dr. Goodman assured me I would only be responsible for a $70.00 bill. I advised Dr. Goodman I did not want his services if I had to pay more than the $70.00, he assured me that is all I would be responsible for. I was then contacted about a week later by his office and was told they made another error and that I owed them an amount over $200.00. I was told that I had the procedure done the prior year and that my insurance company only covered the procedure every 2 years. However, I advised Dr. Goodman's office that I had the procedure the prior year on the day of the visit, he advised his staff to check my insurance and again was told I would only have to pay $70.00. I advised Dr. Goodmans staff I wanted to speak to Dr. Goodman because his billing practices were misleading and I did not feel responsible for full payment due to his error. I was told Dr. Goodman would contact me to resolve the issue. He never called, and I then received a call from a debt collector saying I had $325.10 balance. I called Dr. Goodmans office who refused to do anything but take a $100.00 off the bill. I was threatened with a negative report on my credit report by the collection agency. As a result of my fear of having my credit report negatively impact I had to agree to pay a balance of $225.10. This felt like extortion to me, I was helpless to make any kind of dispute because I did not want my credit ruined.Desired Settlement: I would like a refund in the amount of $155.10 which reflects payment of the original agreed upon rate for services rendered.

Business

Response:

[redacted] has stated in his complaint that our office made errors in his billing. This is not correct. Not only has our office addressed his concerns and conceded in helping him, we provided him with services he, himself requested.

[redacted] was referred by a current patient of our office in December of 2013. On that date we performed a clinical examination, basic cleaning, and only 4 dental x-rays. We advised [redacted] we would need a full mouth series of dental x-rays. On downloading and printing his Met Life benefit level and frequency limitation information (which we still posses), the site indicated, from the information [redacted] had given us, restrictions on his X-rays to once every 5 years.There were no other limitations listed.

Realizing this. we deferred the full series (taking only [redacted]) and asking [redacted] to have a copy of the x-rays forwarded to our office from his prior dentist. We never received any such copy.

[redacted] stated on his health history form that he desired " deep cleanings." We could not provide this service on that same date, but rescheduled pt for the next week. The patient never showed, nor called to cancel this reserved appointment time. He was not charged for this broken appointment.

In March,2014, [redacted] came to continue treatment. It was indicated on the same downloaded information received from Met Life site, that [redacted] did not have any restrictions on periodontal care reimbursement. Nor did [redacted] indicate that he had, within the past 2 years, been provided with the deep cleaning services he himself requested. We proceeded to provide these services to [redacted], who did not complain until both he and our office found out, only after submission, that one of his prior dentists had submitted for this type of therapy within the past 2 years.

Given the information provided by both [redacted] and his insurance company we did our best to survey benefit levels and limitations. Neither he nor his insurance company provided us with enough information to exactly pinpoint benefits for this service. We are not members of Met Life Insurance. We provided [redacted] with not only treatment that was appropriate, but needed and requested directly by him. We clearly have a form, that [redacted] signed, indicating that the full balance of what is left over after insurance, is his full responsibility. Patients who do not sign this form pay us directly. We never promise patients what they will get from insurance and this form indicates that fact. It is impossible to guarantee any patient what they will get and [redacted] was fully informed. He is only angered, not by our treatment, but what his insurance company reimbursed toward the treatment.

Even though [redacted] honestly owed our office for work performed, we tried to compromise in lowering his out of pocket costs because we understood the difficulty he had with his insurance reimbursement rules.

This is becoming an increasingly difficult problem, not just for patients, but for dentists as well. When he refused to pay his bill, even after this concession, we referred his account to a collection agency. Last week he created a scene at our office and stated he was refinancing his mortgage and our office was interfering with re financing. We advised [redacted], the next day, that we would lower the collection agency fee assessed to him by $100. Even after this, we were met with anger and threats.

We have done everything we feel we could do in providing the level of care [redacted] was entitled to. This complaint is unrelated to the level of care that was delivered, and more related to what his insurance paid. It is not related in any way to a billing error, which [redacted] contends. We do not and will not, with any certainty, promise any patient a reimbursement that will be delivered by their insurance company. Only an estimate. We were not only fair with [redacted], but gracious.

I went to Dr. Goodman and was told after my first visit they made an error in billing and I had a balance of $150.00. I explained to his office that I had never been told after a dental visit that I owed more than what I was told I was originally responsible for. They asked to split the difference and asked me to pay $70.00. I told Dr. Goodman I was happy with his service and agreed to initial bill revisal. The reason they gave me for the error was that they did not know how much I would owe until after they contacted my insurance company. On my next visit I voiced concern about getting another billing error and did not want to be billed an amount I did not agree to before services were rendered. Dr. Goodman assured me I would only be responsible for a $70.00 bill. I advised Dr. Goodman I did not want his services if I had to pay more than the $70.00, he assured me that is all I would be responsible for. I was then contacted about a week later by his office and was told they made another error and that I owed them an amount over $200.00. I was told that I had the procedure done the prior year and that my insurance company only covered the procedure every 2 years. However, I advised Dr. Goodman's office that I had the procedure the prior year on the day of the visit, he advised his staff to check my insurance and again was told I would only have to pay $70.00. I advised Dr. Goodmans staff I wanted to speak to Dr. Goodman because his billing practices were misleading and I did not feel responsible for full payment due to his error. I was told Dr. Goodman would contact me to resolve the issue. He never called, and I then received a call from a debt collector saying I had $325.10 balance. I called Dr. Goodmans office who refused to do anything but take a $100.00 off the bill. I was threatened with a negative report on my credit report by the collection agency. As a result of my fear of having my credit report negatively impact I had to agree to pay a balance of $225.10. This felt like extortion to me, I was helpless to make any kind of dispute because I did not want my credit ruined.