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ihaveaproblem · Dec 13, 2010, 02:30 PM

Last month I went to the dentist for a cleaning and x-rays, came out w/ no cavities... I just got a bill in the mail saying I owe $1400! I thought it was just a mistake so I called the office this morning and they told me they had been sending me statements from my visit in 2008 for a root canal. At that time I was 21 yrs old and was still insured through my father. Apparently my father has been paying on that bill since then without my knowledge. The dental office sent my bill to his home and I have never lived or used his address for anything. During my visit last month for my cleaning, the office updated my address, I don't know what they had as my address before the update. So, now I am being sent the bill which they say I owe for the root canal almost 3 years ago. They did not mention the bill to me during my last visit or even notify me that I had an outstanding balance for the past 3 years. I am very proactive about paying my debts so I would have definitely had this paid for by now if I would have been the one being billed in the first place. They have also been disgussing my dental info and bills with my father... My understanding is at the very least this is a violation of my privacy (HIPPA)... Am I still responsible for paying the remainder of this bill? The receptionist even disgussed my conversation about this issue with my father (who just so happened to be at their office after I called this morning)! I am currently planning a wedding and my fiancé and I are paying for it ourselves and cannot afford this bill at this time. What do I do?

ebaines · Dec 13, 2010, 02:59 PM

Please clarify something - when you had the root canal you were covered by your father's insurance, so therefore his insurance should have paid the bill a long time ago, right? Why didn't it? I'm guessing the bill was in excess of his plan's benefits, so the office billed your father for the portion that wasn't covered. It seems to me that since you were his dependent at the time that he is responsible for the bill, even thouhg you are now no longer his dependent.

As for the office discussing the bill with your dad - since you were his dependent and on his insurance policy then he has every right to know about that procedure. But the dental office should NOT be discussing anything having to do with any dental procedures that are not being covered by his policy.

tickle · Dec 13, 2010, 03:01 PM

Talk the debt over with your Father, as this seems to be a family issue. Dental office discussing the debt with your father has nothing to do with HIPAA.

Tick

ihaveaproblem · Dec 13, 2010, 03:10 PM

Yes, the bill was in excess of the plan's benefits. However, I was over the age of 18 so the bill should have been sent to me even though I was a dependent on his insurance policy. As far as I know just because he is the subscriber on the insurance policy does not give him the rights to my information if I am over the age of 18. Originally the bill should have been sent to me since I was no longer a minor at the time of service. Right?

tickle · Dec 13, 2010, 03:17 PM

Originally Posted by ihaveaproblem

Yes, the bill was in excess of the plan's benefits. However, I was over the age of 18 so the bill should have been sent to me even though I was a dependent on his insurance policy. As far as I know just because he is the subscriber on the insurance policy does not give him the rights to my information if I am over the age of 18. Originally the bill should have been sent to me since I was no longer a minor at the time of service. Right?

I don't know what you want us to say. This is an issue between you, your Father and the dental office. Absolutely nothing to do with a HIPAA violation.

Tick

ebaines · Dec 13, 2010, 03:19 PM

Originally Posted by ihaveaproblem

Originally the bill should have been sent to me since I was no longer a minor at the time of service. Right?

Wrong. Keep in mind that since your father was the named insured HE is the one who had to work with his insurance company, not you. And the dental office would look to him to pay the amount not covered by his policy, not you. If you are saying that you weren't really his dependent at age 21 because you were covering your own bills, then that means your father committed fraud by keeping someone who was an adult and not his dependent on his insurance policy - is that where you want this conversatoin to go?

ihaveaproblem · Dec 13, 2010, 03:33 PM

I think I was looking at this in a different way... at the time I was a dependent in many ways of my father, I was a college student and depended on him for a lot of things. But, I guess I just thought that since I was no longer a minor and I was the one seeking treatment ultimately I was the one that would be responsible, but that's not true... He is still responsible because of the policy...

ScottGem · Dec 13, 2010, 04:06 PM

Originally Posted by ihaveaproblem

He is still responsible because of the policy....

Yep and that's where this threads should end. I would just hand the bills to your father.

ballengerb1 · Dec 13, 2010, 04:34 PM

I have a different read on this. You were on your dad's insurance but that coverage has limits. Anything over the cover amount is your responsibility unless dad had offered to pay the balance. It is like you have your own insurance, via dads company, your insurance covers your bills but only to the policy limit. The bill is you're the tooth was yours and you were not a minor, your where emancipated at the age of 21

Alty · Dec 13, 2010, 04:37 PM

Originally Posted by ballengerb1

I have a different read on this. You were on your dad's insurance but that coverage has limits. Anything over the cover amount is your responsibility unless dad had offered to pay the balance. It is like you have your own insurance, via dads company, your insurance covers your bills but only to the policy limit. The bill is you're the tooth was yours and you were not a minor, your where emancipated at the age of 21

Ballengerb, I would agree, except for this part of the OP's post.

Apparently my father has been paying on that bill since then without my knowledge.

I'm no legal expert, but since the OP's father has been paying on the bill, he's accepted responsibility for it. At least that's how I see it, and since this question isn't in the legal section, that's my final answer. ;)

ballengerb1 · Dec 13, 2010, 04:57 PM

If a parent helps his adult child by paying on a bill that parent has not legally assumed the entire debt. Legally he was not required to pay anything, by paying a little he can not be forced to pay a lot.