Charged for Extraction with medical card

bettyboop1983

Hi

Just looking for some advice on anything i can do about this.

My partner has had a toothache for the last 3 weeks couldnt afford dentist so was just suffering on. I was told by an aunt at the weekend what was covered on the medical card and she recommended her dentist which accepts medical card to us.
I double checked on the irish dentist assoc website that the dentist accepted medical card.
Rang the surgery on tuesday and asked for an appointment with this dentist and verifyied with the receptionist that medical card would be accepted.
My partner had his appointment this morning and an extraction was required he went to reception before leaving to give his medical card and was told he had seen a different dentist that didnt accept medical card and he had to pay 100 with a packed waiting room and a recepionist who didnt want to listen he had no choice to hand over 100 of the 120 he had on him which was supposed to pay a bill and get our weekly shop to the receptionist.

Im at my wits end at what to do here.
I rang the surgery and looked for an explaination said that i had made the appointment with a different dentist and she just repeated well he seen a Dr ??? and they dont accept medical card. I asked why she seen him and was told the other dentist only works 3 days a week.. I said i looked for an appointment with Dr ?? when booking and told well i didnt do it.

Some basicly a tough **** i dont really care from receptionist.

Any advice anyone.

Ravenid

First call back and complain to the Dentist you asked to see and ask why your appointment was changed to the non Medical Card Dentist. See what he has to say.

If there is still an issue raise it with the HSE here:
http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/ysys/Complaint/

Just because the receptionist changed the Dentist shouldn't change your rights, especially if you specifically asked for the Medical Card dentist.

Oral Surgeon

bettyboop1983 wrote: »

Hi

Just looking for some advice on anything i can do about this.

My partner has had a toothache for the last 3 weeks couldnt afford dentist so was just suffering on. I was told by an aunt at the weekend what was covered on the medical card and she recommended her dentist which accepts medical card to us.
I double checked on the irish dentist assoc website that the dentist accepted medical card.
Rang the surgery on tuesday and asked for an appointment with this dentist and verifyied with the receptionist that medical card would be accepted.
My partner had his appointment this morning and an extraction was required he went to reception before leaving to give his medical card and was told he had seen a different dentist that didnt accept medical card and he had to pay 100 with a packed waiting room and a recepionist who didnt want to listen he had no choice to hand over 100 of the 120 he had on him which was supposed to pay a bill and get our weekly shop to the receptionist.

Im at my wits end at what to do here.
I rang the surgery and looked for an explaination said that i had made the appointment with a different dentist and she just repeated well he seen a Dr ??? and they dont accept medical card. I asked why she seen him and was told the other dentist only works 3 days a week.. I said i looked for an appointment with Dr ?? when booking and told well i didnt do it.

Some basicly a tough **** i dont really care from receptionist.

Any advice anyone.

I'd explain the sequence of events and that you stressed to be seen by the medical card dentist, (not dentist x or y.....), to the dentists involved. Most would be fair and come to some arrangement....

The dentists may or may not be aware of your complaint as in some clinics the reception don't bother the dentist with peoples problems with paying etc etc..

I'd ring and ask to speak to the dentist...

Good luck,
OS

hg03 eyu

The extraction can still be claimed on your partner's medical card by this clinic
as it does not matter which dentist did the extraction.

Therefore, they should get your partner to sign the medical card form and refund him the €100.

Oral Surgeon

hg03 eyu wrote: »

The extraction can still be claimed on your partner's medical card by this clinic
as it does not matter which dentist did the extraction.

Therefore, they should get your partner to sign the medical card form and refund him the €100.

Thought of that but not ever doing MC, I wasn't sure if that was ok.... I'm sure that the MC will pay no where near the €100 but fair's fair....

hg03 eyu

The clinic will get an exam fee €33 plus extraction fee of €39.50.
Total fee €72.50.
If, however, it was a surgical extraction the the total fee would be €103.

bettyboop1983

Hey

Well i tried to speak to the dentist but was told she wasnt available. It was the same girl on reception and was getting nowhere. My partner is still in alot of pain and explained this she was setting up appointment with the same dentist and i said he needed some1 that accepted medical card.
I said that it was there mistake he was sent to this dentist in the first place and that this was unacceptable which she then said would not have made a difference as it was a surgical extraction so would not have been covered by the medical card anyway.
I asked for a explaination as to what the differnce was with a surgical extraction and she said it was a difficult extraction that took 1/2 an hr.

He is going back tomorrow because of the pain and can speak to the dentist directly then but can any1 explain what a surgical extraction is and if it is covered.
Thanks

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Surgical Extractions are covered by the medical card.

georgieporgy

Lacey Stocky Palm wrote: »

Surgical Extractions are covered by the medical card.

Yes they are covered, but only to a maximum fee of 70euro. (before witholding tax)

hg03 eyu

Going back to the medical card issue. When a dentist signs a contract to treat medical card patients he or she has to specify which days of the week they are contracting to treat these patients. Most dentists specify Monday to Friday.

The key issue is did the medical card dentist at this clinic specify on her original contract only three specific days of did he/she sign up for all five days.

If the medical card dentist contracted for all five days at a clinic then any medical card patient being charged for an extraction is a clear breach of that contract.

donegal11

what's the difference between a surgical extraction and normal one

Oral Surgeon

donegal11 wrote: »

what's the difference between a surgical extraction and normal one

A normal extraction involves the levering and forceps removal of the tooth...

A surgical extraction may be preferable/ necessary if there is no tooth structure to lever or hold with a forceps. The gum is cut and pulled back from the tooth and underlying bone, the tooth and bone are then drilled and sectioned to free up the tooth root from its foundations and then this can be removed more easily... The area is washed out and stitched back together... It sounds worse than it is;)