Dentist's charge for PPE

[O2Bfree]

I've had to see my dentist twice in the past couple weeks, and each time he added a $23 charge for PPE. That seemed a little much. Maybe he needs to make up for lost income but dang, $23 each time?!

Has anyone else been to their dentist or any other health provider lately and got hit with a PPE charge?

 

[badatmath]

If they charge for that I will look for a new dentist. Don't much like current one anyway. He replaced my (wonderful) retired dentist.

 

[samm]

If they charge for that I will look for a new dentist.

I would not pay. PPE is a required part of his job.

 

[aja8888]

I went to my dentist two weeks ago and no charge for PPE was included. Time to look for a new dentist.

 

[TrvlBug]

DH had implant a few weeks ago. His oral surgeon required a covid test prior to surgery and charged additional $50 for covid related expenses. PPE was in the hazmat type category and they also made upgrades to their ventilation system and other stuff. As we are in the high risk category, we appreciated these changes and had no problem paying the additional $s.

Our dentist is still closed so don't know what they plan on doing.

 

[O2Bfree]

If they charge for that I will look for a new dentist. Don't much like current one anyway. He replaced my (wonderful) retired dentist.

That happened to me as well. The new guy is super nice and seems competent, coming from a family where dad and all three sons are dentists. But I think he charges too much.

 

[Lawrencewendall]

Saw on another site that it violates insurance rules to charge for PPE. Can try to locate it if needed.

 

[O2Bfree]

Saw on another site that it violates insurance rules to charge for PPE. Can try to locate it if needed.

Interesting, though I don't have insurance. I did read something on a dentistry ethics site about it being unethical for dentists to change uninsured patients, but not those with insurance. Wish I'd read that before my appointments.

 

[street]

I would question that charge and not paid that PPE charge.

 

[O2Bfree]

I would question that charge and not paid that PPE charge.

Shoulda, yeah...I'm really a wimp sometimes.

 

[mn54]

I can verify that the costs for PPE have increased substantially. We are using N95 masks which cost 10x what the masks that we wore before covid 19, if we can even get them. plus we are wearing face shields which we were not using before. we are not seeing as many patients as before due to the precautions, no patients in the waiting area. they wait in their car and we call them when we are ready for them. the extra cost is justified. the dentist is not just trying to make more money. if anything they are making less.

 

[tb001]

Saw on another site that it violates insurance rules to charge for PPE. Can try to locate it if needed.

I would be interested in this as well. Our local forums have mentioned that many dentists are adding a ppe/COvid charge which is entirely out of pocket.

I’m so torn about things like this. On the one hand, yes, they are incurring additional costs, but so are most places of business and many people have lost their jobs or had hours reduced. Most of the working population has had a significant hit to income. At some point, it’s worth asking who should absorb those additional costs. As a business owner, I can see passing along the costs, but as a customer, they’re lucky I’m coming back right now.

 

[jazz4cash]

Saw on another site that it violates insurance rules to charge for PPE. Can try to locate it if needed.

Many years ago I had a dentist that charged ~$15 for "infection control". I noticed the charge was not submitted to dental insurance and there were some other hinky practices that I considered to be borderline fraud. They offered a hefty discount for cash but payment by check was not eligible for the discount.
The services went downhill so I left after a couple years.

 

[badatmath]

I might be tempted to report him to my dental insurer they probably have limits on how they can price things and still be a preferred provider. I am not due right now so prefer not to think too hard about it.

 

[martyp]

If there are increased costs then they should just increase their prices accordingly. Itemizing PPE seems like passive aggression.

 

[Dtail]

I have a rescheduled dentist visit in late July.
Due to this thread, I will call them up ahead of time asking if there are extra PPE charges.

 

[Midpack]

I’m so torn about things like this. On the one hand, yes, they are incurring additional costs, but so are most places of business and many people have lost their jobs or had hours reduced. Most of the working population has had a significant hit to income. At some point, it’s worth asking who should absorb those additional costs. As a business owner, I can see passing along the costs, but as a customer, they’re lucky I’m coming back right now.

Any business that has added costs will pass them on to customers if they can, that’s nothing surprising or new. We ALL ‘vote with our dollars/feet’ when/if it’s important to us.

I’m guessing most customers won’t change dentists over $23/visit if they otherwise like the dentist. I wouldn’t. YMMV

 

[grasshopper]

I can verify that the costs for PPE have increased substantially. We are using N95 masks which cost 10x what the masks that we wore before covid 19, if we can even get them. plus we are wearing face shields which we were not using before. we are not seeing as many patients as before due to the precautions, no patients in the waiting area. they wait in their car and we call them when we are ready for them. the extra cost is justified. the dentist is not just trying to make more money. if anything they are making less.

Our New Mexico dentist just opened for non emergency care, so Ms G and I had a good cleaning. We experienced what you wrote, with the exception that my hygienist has been using a mask and shield for years now.

We are on a prepay plan, so my dentist must be absorbing any extra expense.

 

[Dawg52]

I would vote no with my dollars and find a new dentist.

 

[Tadpole]

My dentist is using other non-covered terms like "lab charge". The major difference is that, in the past, he sent the entire bill to the insurance and, sometimes, the insurances said that a charge, usually coded D9999 on the bill, was not covered and said they didn't pay and I couldn't be billed for it. Now the dentist is billing me for D9999 without reporting it on the insurance copy of the bill so they can avoid the footnote saying that I don't owe it. It works, I guess, since my husband and I have just decided to eat it as long as it is only $25.

Another thing that has changed since we moved here is that many of the dental offices seem to work similar to beauty parlors. There is a strip mall clinic, doctors that seem to rent chairs and days, assistants that try to sell additional services, assistants that try to negotiate billing, etc. I like having an estimate but what do you do when the estimate for your tooth ache is "take it or leave it" and doesn't entirely conform to their insurance agreement (as far as I can tell)?

There aren't many dentists on our insurer's list.

 

[EastWest Gal]

If there are increased costs then they should just increase their prices accordingly. Itemizing PPE seems like passive aggression.

The problem with just increasing the price is that most of the patients have dental insurance, and they would have to renegotiate every contract with every insurance company or just eat the cost. All the dentists in the country to do this at the same time is probably not possible. It is considered an unethical practice to only charge self-pay patients a PPE surcharge. Fortunately, it appears that most dental insurance companies are paying extra for PPE, usually $7-10 from what I can see.

The OP may want to contact the dentist and complain about being overcharged for PPE. I found a webpage by the ADA which lists the increased reimbursement offered by each dental insurance company for PPE. It is kept up to date (was updated Tuesday). Just scroll to the bottom of section to find out the reimbursement rate. It seems prudent to be prepared to negotiate a reasonable fee.

Also note that dental offices have to significantly rework their practices, perhaps change the ventilation, disinfect EVERYTHING between patients, which significantly increases costs, which are not reimbursed by insurance companies.

I'm not sure why so many of us expect them NOT to pass on at least some of the costs to the patients. They must or they won't be able to stay in business.

Here is the document.

https://success.ada.org/~/media/CPS/Files/COVID/PPE_Coding_Billing_Guidance.pdf

 

[Chuckanut]

My dentist informed me ahead of time that there would be an extra $15 PPE charge.
I paid the $15. Or will pay it assuming the insurance company does not pay

 

[pacergal]

Interesting about the charge.
My prior dentist all used masks/face shield/gloves before covid, and never had a separate charge. Have not been to new dentist since all this started, so ??

 

[youbet]

If there are increased costs then they should just increase their prices accordingly. Itemizing PPE seems like passive aggression.

I generally agree with this position....... except....... itemizing a special charge for PPE gear during the COVID-19 pandemic instead of just increasing the overall price for the service allows them to easily drop the charge if the time ever comes when COVID-19 related PPE gear is no longer required.

 

[Lawrencewendall]

I would be interested in this as well. Our local forums have mentioned that many dentists are adding a ppe/COvid charge which is entirely out of pocket.

I’m so torn about things like this. On the one hand, yes, they are incurring additional costs, but so are most places of business and many people have lost their jobs or had hours reduced. Most of the working population has had a significant hit to income. At some point, it’s worth asking who should absorb those additional costs. As a business owner, I can see passing along the costs, but as a customer, they’re lucky I’m coming back right now.

I couldn't find the original thread but found this. It appears they can't charge insurance but they can charge the patient. Seems to be pretty widespread also looking at the Google results.

https://www.9news.com/article/news/...r-ppe/73-b5c53a26-87d1-466c-a83d-fe31050fcbb1