[justcurious55]

So last year I got invisalign. My dentist gave me the impression that everything from the invisalign to the retainer after was included (shame on me for not reading the fine print and keeping a copy of it filed). Over the summer when I was done with the invisalign and it was time for my retainer as I was leaving they said, oh by the way, we forgot to tell you before that we had recently changed our contracts and our new contract, which is the one you signed, doesn't actually include the retainer, so you owe x amount and we'll send the rest to your insurance company. I wasn't happy but didn't think there was much I could do about it so I paid what they said I owed. Then the other day I got a bill in the mail saying that the insurance company wouldn't cover my retainer and I had less than a week to pay the balance. I called the dentist office trying to understand why and they wouldn't give me a straight answer, she just kept talking about how it wasn't in the first contract. I called the insurance company since when I re-read all my coverage stuff it still seemed like it should have been covered and they told me that when my dentist first submitted the claim for my invisalign they had included the cost of the retainer and the claim made over the summer was only denied because the insurance company had already approved and paid the first claim (for invisalign and my retainer). I called the dentist office and left a message for them to call me back but I don't think they're open again until Friday. The insurance company told me that according to their records I shouldn't owe anything to my dentist and that they're not paying anything else to them right now either (since they've already paid all the claims). So, I don't know what to do. I think my dentist is ripping me off and double dipping, they've already been paid by the insurance. But I have this bill here and I don't want to risk ruining my credit or anything by not paying it on time while I wait to hear back from the dentist. Any advice from anyone? Thanks :)

[JudyKayTee]

Step 1 - get a copy of the contract you signed. What contracts after that one said (or before that one, for that matter) does not matter. All that matters is what you signed.

Also ask the Dentist for an itemized statement - it "should" show what they charged, what the insurance company paid, what you paid and so forth.

I would put these requests (copy of the contract, copy of the statement) in writing so there is NO question that you are not ignoring the Dentist, you are attempting to get info.

After you get this information "we" will be in a better position to offer advice.

[justcurious55]

Thank you! I'll write a request out and mail it tomorrow.