Payment Question

Message

#1 Post by **Paws917** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 4:24 pm

When I had my ortho consultation, the ortho said I would need my braces on for between a year to a year and a half. Obviously, I am hoping it will be a year, but when I went to make my first payment (my insurance is paying half and we're paying the other half), I noticed the coupon book for the payments has 16 payment coupons. I've heard that orthos don't like to take braces off a patient until they've been completely paid ... which I totally understand ... but now I'm wondering if they're going to stretch out my treatment an extra 6 months until it's all paid off! This is the same ortho who did my husband's teeth about 10 years ago and I'm sure he's happy we came back to him for my teeth, even though we now live about an hour away. He and my husband are on a first name basis in fact, so I kind of couldn't see him doing something like that. Still, I know that business is business and the bottom line is always money.

Any thoughts or experiences on this?

Thanks!

Erin

#2 Post by **Jillianleab** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 6:50 pm

My payments are stretched over 24 months, even though my estimate is 18 - 22. I would imagine they ask you to pay the balance when the braces come off, or you continue paying since you will still be using the ortho for follow-ups and retention. Either way, you are obligated to pay since you signed a contract (I'm not trying to imply you don't want to pay - but it's late and I can't think of a better way to phrase that!), otherwise, the ortho has legal recourse (I just took a business law class, all this contract stuff is still fresh in my mind!). I doubt they would extend your treatment to equal your payment installations, that might result in undesired movement/bite changes, etc.

#3 Post by **Paws917** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 6:56 pm

Thanks! I feel better now. I didn't realize there would be follow-up visits after the braces come off. That makes sense though. I guess I just figured they'd take them off and I'd sail home with my nice straight pearly whites! LOL

Erin

#4 Post by **ladygal** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 7:12 pm

The way my ortho's office explained it is you have a set number of payments, but your insurance works backwards. You pay your monthly payments and your insurance pays their amount in their timing and you kind of meet in the middle. You sign the contract so if your insurance doesn' kick in they still get paid.

I hope that helps, it made sense to me...I hope I explained it right.

#5 Post by **Paws917** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 7:18 pm

Okay, so you're saying that the insurance doesn't make one lump payment upfront of their portion, but instead, they pay their portion monthly just like me. Is that right?

Erin

#6 Post by **missing_tooth** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 7:55 pm

The payment schedual to my knowledge usually has nothing to do with treatment time, weather it take more or less time, the payment schedual is the payment schedual.

- Missing Tooth -

#7 Post by **phanta** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 8:18 pm

My treatment is estimated at 18-24 months and my payment plan is 28 months. I don't think they're too worried about you defaulting because after the treatment ends you still have to go in for checkups for a year or two. (Plus no doubt you've had to sign some papers

so they have you "good".)

#8 Post by **Paws917** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 10:05 pm

Yeah, Phanta, I guess you're right! LOL

I haven't signed so many papers since I bought my house!

Erin

#9 Post by **kana** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 10:34 pm

those papers that we sign probably list some "conditions" such as if the treatment ends early before you finish paying the full amount(by the monthly visit payments), you are expected to pay the remaining up front upon completion or something similiar, so there isn't a reason for the ortho to delay treatment I think.

#10 Post by **jessikah** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 1:17 am

i chose my payment for my braces to be straight up because we got a 5% discount!

its all so expensive...

all up the cost for:
- my braces (& all visits and retainer afterwards convered)
- 4 wisdom teeth & 2 pre molars removed
- general anaesthestic
- hospital fee

= over $8000

#11 Post by **ladygal** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 7:24 am

Paws: The way I understood it is I make my monthly payments and the insurance makes theirs (whether it be lump sum or monthly) and whenever the bill is paid, I'm done.

#12 Post by **mamabracito** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 7:37 am

I have my payment plan for 2 years. My ortho said I would be roughly 2 years in braces but I will be going for surgery in 1 year then I have to wear the braces for another year or so. Depending on the time it takes. Either way I feel comfortable. I did have to pay a certain amount up front. I don't have insurance so I have to pay for it all on my own. Plus pay for my surgery (OHIP covers my hospital stay $6000.00 canadain) but I have to pay for the surgeon $3000.00 canadain. Then of course the braces fee, which is a lot

.

Rebecca

#13 Post by **nvcarissa** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 9:41 am

so you're saying that the insurance doesn't make one lump payment upfront of their portion

I think this really depends on the insurance company. I thought mine was going to pay in thirds over the course of my contract of 30 months, but they actually wound up paying it all within a month or two. This worked out well for me as I was going through a job change and was paying COBRA for my dental to insure the payment of the orthodontics. Once that was taken care of, I dropped that portion of my COBRA payment and went with my new company's dental insurance (that doesn't cover ortho for adults). I hung onto the medical part of COBRA for my old insurance until I was approved by my new medical insurance for my surgery, and then let that go as well.

#14 Post by **Leslie022** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 10:16 am

It is stated in <b>bold</b> print in my contract that payment must be in full before appliances are removed. With that said, if my ortho tells me at my appointment next month that I'm done, you better believe my American Express card will be in there hands that day! I think it is common practice but I find it hard to believe they ortho will keep the braces on your teeth needlessly...I don't know though. At my next appointment, I'm planning to get confirmation from him about the payment/debanding issue.

#15 Post by **missing_tooth** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 10:35 am

Ah yes the contract. I liked having a contract. It covers just what is and is not covered with my payment. I thought it was a good deal as it protects them and myself.

It is stated in bold print in my contract that payment must be in full before appliances are removed.

Mine never said anything like that. Of course I'm on the 3 year plan.

- Missing Tooth -