Should Dental Associations and Organizations dedicate resources to creating PSA’s to educate law makers about the flagrant ways Dental insurance companies are undermining the relationship between you and your patients?
Examples:
1) Letters sent to your patients inferring that your fees are too high and encouraging your patients to seek care from a dentist on the insurance company’s preferred provider list.
2) Undermining your diagnosis and treatment recommendations by providing coverage for alternative treatment, or denying coverage completely, again inferring your treatment recommendation is out of line.
Should the ADA become more involved in the battle against insurance companies? They have the ideal location in DC to lobby relentlessly to end “diagnosis by insurance company” and force insurance companies to cease interference with the doctor/patient relationship.
In addition:
•Law makers should know that most dentists who were practicing in 2008 are earning less now than they were then.
•Our representatives in Congress should be aware that there has been no real increase in the yearly maximum allowable coverage amount for dental insurance patients since 1985
•Advise our congressional representatives that allowing insurance companies to abuse their positions and usurp your diagnosis directly affects your ability to provide the best dental care for your patients and their constituents.
•The Oral Systemic Health Connection should be addressed in a way that it cannot be ignored.
