How do You Pay for a dental service through a Medicare Advantage Plan?

[JoeFromMo]

I visited an In-Network Dentist for dental extraction and paid after the service. The Dental total bill was $262 my half I paid was $131 and my Advantage plan
supposedly $131. BUT later I find out the Advantage plan only allowed $142, $71 they paid my part was $71. Should I tell the dentist before my next procedure
to bill Medicare Advantage Plan first and then I will pay for what they allowed?

 

[That Lady in PA]

The dentists in my area all bill insurance first. Then they bill for what isn't covered.
I supposed you can ask... all they can say is no

 

[Myquest55]

We have Delta Dental through DH's employer in Tenn. It is cheaper than the Delta Dental plan in Maine. As long as they keep sending me a bill for the annual, I'll keep it. My Dentist always gets "Pre-Approval" before any procedure.

 

[Sunny]

My dentist collects his payment from me, right after the procedure. Then the lady at the front desk (I don't know what her job title is) sends in the paper work to my main insurance company. After they make me wait, usually about a month, they pay their little smidgen, and then the dental insurance I use covers part of the rest. I never get it all covered, but usually at least half.

One year I kept careful records to see if it even paid to go to all that trouble. After deducting my premium to the dental insurance, and the amount I had to pay the dentist, I came out about $100 ahead f.or the year. I kept it but am always wondering if I need to, for that amoumt.

 

[MarkinPhx]

I have a debit card filled with $3500 for dental work per year. Anything past that, I have to pay for out of pocket.

 

[Knight]

Our Advantage allows $3,000.00 for dental a year. Was $4,000.00 but with the restructuring United Health Care did our area stayed pretty much untouched by whey did.

The cleaning 2 times a year is covered at no cost. That cost is billed directly to the insurance. If anything else is needed the billing clerk would identify the cost over & above what the insurance will pay. So far additional work has been covered so there have been no copays. Like MarkinPhx we would have to pay out of pocket if dental needs exceeded that $3,000.00

As discussed before in other threads about Medicare advantage plans & providers there is a difference in where you live. Don't know why that is, it just is. Best example of that, we get $3,000.00 MarkinPhx gets $3,500.00