Anyone familiar with Care Credit?

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#1 Post by **crysredd** » Thu May 10, 2007 7:37 pm

I am going to use Care Credit for my down payment (although I have been braced for 2 weeks, they weren't set up for care credit yet for my down payment - they told me that it will be ok to wait until they get the care credit terminal set up).
Today, I called the ortho to make my payment. They told me that instead of the down payment, I will have to pay the entire amount if I am going to use care credit. I have had experience working with care credit at my old job and I have never heard of this. When I told the girl that she said "Well, that's how were set up with Care Credit".

Anyone think this is weird? It's too late to back out - I already have the braces on.

Website · #2 Post by **alexa** » Thu May 10, 2007 9:51 pm

I'm sort of familiar with CareCredit. I applied for it when I was going to get my wisdom teeth out, got aproved, got the card and then never got the work done. Something about the idea of another 2K of debt I just could not deal with at the time...

I don't see why your ortho can't let you make small lump payments via CareCredit, as it's similar to a credit card. However, I can see why it might not be beneficial to you to do so. If you are planning to put your entire treatment on your CareCredit plan anyway, then it makes the most sense to charge everything now. CareCredit has many promotional deals...often including a 0% APR for the duration of the payment plan if you have a large service performed. Something over $300, I believe is what it says in the material. So if you were going to use the account to pay for the entire cost of your braces, you would lose out on special financing deals if you charged it in monthly spurts.

#3 Post by **crysredd** » Thu May 10, 2007 10:36 pm

I realize that they have those promo rates - I used to work at a place that took care credit - but my limit on the account is only $2000 - the ortho wants a $1000 down payment which i was going to put on the care credit but now they say I need to put the entire balance on it if I am going to use care credit. Problem is is that the total cost of treatment is like 4K - which I do not have that amount on my card. I just think that it's weird ... at first they said it would be ok to put the down payment in care credit and make monthly payments to the office afterwards but now all of a sudden, I have to charge the entire cost of treatment if I am going to use care credit. sounds shady - and I am stuck with these people for 6-10 months.

They also pulled some other shadiness... they are charging me for my entire insurance cost (which is the cost of 2 years of treatment) but I am only getting treated for 6-10 months. When I questioned it, they told me it is because they use faster "state of the art" brackets. When I went for a second opinion, that ortho cost was near double than this ortho so I stuck with the first ortho for the sake of not wasting all my free time getting consults. Ugh... sorry - just frustrated.

#4 Post by **Windpetal** » Fri May 11, 2007 3:44 am

I don't think that it is right that they put your braces on and said that you could pay the down payment using care credit and then after they get the system, they tell you that you have to pay the full amount if you use your card. I have had care credit for three years and have never had a problem using it wherever it is accepted. I hope that it all works out!

#5 Post by **Miss Smiley** » Fri May 11, 2007 10:20 am

I used to work at a dental office so here is what we did. We would have the patient fill out the CC app. Then call it in for instant response. When we called it in, they would ask how much the patient would like to be approved for no greater than treatment amount. If treatment was done and there were more costs involved and the patient wanted it covered under care credit, we would just call care credit and see if they could be approved for line increase. Guess your ortho is deciding not to finance you if you use care credit.

#6 Post by **crysredd** » Fri May 11, 2007 10:31 am

The treatment coordinator said that she will call to see if Care Credit will increase my credit line - but who knows if they will. The office is closed today, so I will have to wait until next week to see what is going on. Oh well.

#7 Post by **Miss Smiley** » Fri May 11, 2007 10:38 am

It would be nice if they could have just financed you the remaining since they already said they would. Maybe if you ask nicely they will

#8 Post by **crysredd** » Fri May 11, 2007 10:53 am

I agree Miss Smiley.... I will post an update next week.

#9 Post by **crysredd** » Wed May 16, 2007 4:32 pm

As promised, I am giving an update on my Care Credit situation with my ortho:

Just like I suspected... I AM able to use the care credit account just like a credit card and do not have to charge my entire $3800 balance on the care credit account. (They were telling me that with care credit, I'd have to charge the entire balance at once - which they were wrong - and my issue with that is that my line of credit is only $2000). The tx coordinator did say that I can put $2000 down on the care credit and then they will finance the remaining balance over the months to come.

And more good news is that I will have 6 months interest free on my care credit balance.

whew...

I can't wait to get these things off already... dealing with medical bills is not one of my favorite things to do.

#10 Post by **Miss Smiley** » Wed May 16, 2007 5:00 pm

What a relief for you huh. I'm glad you got all the financials situated. All that stress for nothing.

Metal Mouth Message Board

Anyone familiar with Care Credit?

Anyone familiar with Care Credit?

Care Credit - Update