Yeah, all us dental receptionists look like this......not. Sheesh.
After Ami invited her readers to list what they did on the average afternoon (go here), I wrote a rather long comment and she mentioned I should write more about work. Which is rather a slippery slope in some ways. If you've been reading my blog, you know that at my previous job a patient found my blog, by stalking me on the internet....then I received a scathing talk down from my boss asking me "Did you say this" ~ "yes", repeat 5 or 6 times, etc. Surprisingly I didn't get fired. Anyway, my current position is wonderful, so I suppose I won't exactly be the same. Lol.
I was thinking today about how much I enjoy my "new" job - I guess it's still kinda new, since I've been there 9 months. Because I don't have any sick leave or vacation time. Or pension options. =sigh=
Any who, I still am amazed that most ~ probably over 85% of patients just don't have a clue about thier insurance. And that's sad, because dental insurance is a lot easier to understand than medical (still mulling over the Cobra option myself, lol). So, when you have that third dental cleaning, please don't call the office and yell at someone because you have to pay it yourself. Here's just a little dental insurance primer:
PPO ~ preferred provider organization: you have a lower copay for stuff IF your dentist participates. If your Dr doesn't participate, you would have a higher copay. For example when you have a filling done, it could cost a little more (like $10), or a lot more (like $100).
Maximum ~ represents the total amount of $ they will pay out for your dental care in a 12 month period. Which could be a calendar year or a benefit year (like 7/1 to 6/30). Sometimes your exams and cleanings aren't part of the maximum, but most times everything is is paid out from your maximum. If you don't know what your maximum benefit is, you might want to pull out the paperwork and actually look at it.
~Sorry, but it does get old when I ask if you have insurance, you say "yes" but then have no idea what company it is. Most people don't get cards for dental like you do with medical.
Deductible ~ This is an amount that insurance will subtract from the first claim submitted when you have some kind of treatment, like periodontal or filling or extraction. It could be $25 or $50, all the way up to $250. 95% of the time it is $50.
There is a lot more....but please! Don't yell at me because your company opted for a crummy insurance plan. Or, worse, because you had three different levels of coverage and chose the cheap one that doesn't cover root canals or crowns. I suppose it's the ol' "don't shoot the messenger" issue.
Well, gotta run. I hope I enlightened you a little bit. Next time you're at the dentist, remember that we truly want to help.
Love, 365
I try to be kind to the people behind the counter. At the dentist or at my doctor's office or at the grocery store. They have a tough job. There are a myriad of reasons I don't work with the public, the urge to tell someone to go get screwed is very strong and right up front with me. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sitting behind the desk and smiling at the people who come in. Thanks for not smacking them. :)
Thank you! I enjoy the challenge. :-)
ReplyDelete