Help Dodgy Dentist - Child Dental Benefits

• 

  sm007h on 27/05/2014 - 19:03

  +5

  I would report this dentist to the Australian Dental Board. Ignore his offer - would you go back to someone who does this?

• 

  JetBombat on 27/05/2014 - 19:04

  -1

  Ask for refund?

• 

  pinoy on 27/05/2014 - 19:15

  +7

  You'll be doing a great favor to the hundreds of future clients that will fall victim to such dodgy practices! Report this Dental Practice. They are rorting the system!

• 

  Quaker on 27/05/2014 - 19:27

  +1

  I would demand a refund and tell them they will otherwise be reported. They know they've rorted your mother that's why they're offering to clean her teeth for next two years.

  • 

    pinoy on 27/05/2014 - 20:19

    +1

    The services were charged under the Child Dental Benefit Scheme. The dental clinic is rorting the gov. child dental benefit scheme!!! Clinic will charge the patient upfront.. but the patient will be able to get the refund from medicare!!

    By threatening the clinic to refund you or else you will report them does nothing good to the next 500+ people who will really be losing their gift of dental services… Reporting the clinic will not only teach the clinic a lesson but will help others people on that scheme into maximizing their privilege to more dental care.

    … if you think about it.. the clinic is actually stealing from all the tax payers out there!

  • 

    Woodinski on 27/05/2014 - 20:29

    Agree, demand a full refund, otherwise you will report them. When/If they give you one, then report them anyway. I would dred to imagine how many other people they are doing this too.

    • 

      iChaseYou on 27/05/2014 - 21:17

      +3

      I respectfully disagree with the "refund otherwise I will report" mentality. I say just report and what the refund head your way.

      Just report it as is, this conduct is disgraceful - it happens in other professions. E.g. lawyers charging cash in hand and excessive fees ($20,000 per hour) to cashed up international students.

      From what I understand, you were only charged $100 out of pocket, so if I were you, I would report said conduct and emphasise that this was all done intentionally - not accidentally.
      What flows on from the reporting is that you should receive the full refund anyways - hence no need to request it. [from my experience, professionals once caught engaging in such conduct would refund to prove to the board or AHPRA or Law Society that they want to keep their practising certificate]

      So please, OP - do this for all current, past and potential future victims, and us tax payers!

      Please keep us posted.

      All the best

• 

  minniethemoocher on 27/05/2014 - 21:10

  I'm confused you say they bulk billed $300 plus $800 that's $1100. Did your mum have pay anything? It is my understanding that the scheme doesn't just pay the first $1000, it pays an amount per item, so $1000 worth of services is an awful lot in 2 visits if bulk billed. If your mum has paid for the bill she might find she has substantial out of pockets. Maybe you could contact medicare as it would be doubtful if they have provided all the services they have billed for, maybe they should be reported for bulk billing for services they haven't provided. Also you say the owner said they can not actually bulk bill that many items in one go, what are they planning to do put a sneaky claim in 6 months? The items they have billed through the scheme should be available to you if you ask Medicare. Unfortunately through I can't find a lot about this scheme online but my understanding is that they pay an amount per item no. like PHI or when you see a doctor.

• 

  [Deactivated] on 28/05/2014 - 02:31

  I'd hate to find out how much money is being rorted by dodgy medical professionals abusing bulk billing.

  I have to dob in a psychiatrist soon (keeps slipping my mind, actually) for pulling blatantly dodgy tactics to claim more for doing absolutely nothing with each patient. Disgusting, really.

  Report the dentist and let us know what happens, please!

• 

  artxty on 28/05/2014 - 07:49

  We just go to the local council, my 6yr old daughter was charged $30+ for the whole course, which includes check up and succeeding visits for fillings. I think it was called Dental for school age children something.
  Ask your local council.

• 

  [Deactivated] on 28/05/2014 - 08:58

  I've heard of dentists in America using a similar type of dental program to do unnessary procedures on children just to get the benefits but this is the first time I've heard of the new Medicare dental system being used for the same thing.

• 

  backpaqer on 28/05/2014 - 10:31

  never even heard of Child Dental Benefits?!? Though we had a family friend who is a dentist do all our dental work - he only claimed what our health insurance paid up and waived the rest. He didn't milk it either, he explained that they look at patterns as to what is acceptable…the dodgy dentists do get weeded out when there is a clear pattern of overcharging even if no-one reports them. But yeah…someone somewhere is paying over the odds for this service…you may only see the $46 tip of the iceberg and that's nothing to you…but all this other "free" cash - well, complained about taxes and government budgets much lately???

• 

  dp1 on 28/05/2014 - 15:50

  +1

  If you have receipts, report them to Medicare. Report the lack of consent regarding costs and agreement to participate in the scheme.
  This type of behaviour is what caused the previous Chronic Disease Dental scheme to be abolished (dentists trying to use up a patient's whole 2 year allowance by adding - usually cosmetic - 'extras'.)

• 

  Whodis on 28/05/2014 - 16:04

  The main concern here is the lack of financial consent. The scheme specifies that a quote is required before treatment commences and the patient's guardian must sign the consent otherwise all claims are invalid. I agree that this is a reportable offence, but to Medicare and not the Australian Dental Board.

  However, to all the people crying foul about dentists ripping off patients - I will be the first to say that $1000 does not go a long way to providing treatment for a child with multiple decayed teeth - maybe 5-6 fillings at the medicare scheduled fee of something like $150 each for a 2-3 surface filling.

  The sad thing about dental problems is that they generally don't cause symptoms of pain both real and in the wallet until the problems are quite large. So that niggling ache you've been feeling for the past 2-3 days is likely a problem that has been there for months that has been ignored and put off either due to laziness or fear. So please, go get a checkup regularly, and allow us to take x-rays to check, and floss and brush properly at home.

  • 

    Whodis on 28/05/2014 - 16:16

    "Before providing services, you must discuss and obtain consent from the patient or their parent/guardian to the basic dental services needed, and the costs associated with the services. Consent to all services and costs must be documented in writing before the end of the visit
    For privately billed services, the patient or their parent/guardian will need to document their consent by signing the relevant patient consent form - Informed Financial Consent – Non-Bulk Billing Patient Consent FormExternal link - at each visit. For bulk billed services, the relevant patient consent form - Informed Financial Consent – Bulk Billing Patient Consent FormExternal link - is only required on the first visit in each calendar year"

    http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/provider/other-healthcar…

    Do I have to quote for services?
    Since many Child Dental Benefits Schedule patients are from financially
    disadvantaged families, it is important that they are informed of the likely costs so
    they can plan for any out-of-pocket costs.

    If you wish to participate in the Child Dental Benefits Schedule it is a requirement of
    the program that you inform the patients or the patient’s parent/guardian of the
    proposed costs of treatment as well as the dental practice’s proposed billing
    arrangements.

    Prior to performing any services, you must have a discussion with the patient or the
    patient’s parent/guardian about:
     the proposed treatment;
     the likely treatment costs, including out-of-pocket costs; and
     the billing arrangements of the practice (ie. bulk billed).
    After you have informed the patient or the patient’s parent/guardian of the likely
    treatment and costs, you must obtain consent from the patient or patient’s
    parent/guardian to both the treatment and costs before commencing any treatment.

    Consent from the patient or the patient’s parent/guardian needs to be recorded in
    writing before the end of the appointment, either through a Bulk Billing Patient
    Consent Form or a Non-Bulk Billing Patient Consent Form (see ‘When and what
    Patient Consent Form needs to be used?’ section on page 13).

    If you fail to obtain and document consent for services, these services will not
    comply with the legal requirements of the program.
    When should I inform the patient?
    It is the responsibility of the billing/claiming dentist that the patient or the patient’s
    parent/guardian is informed of the likely treatment costs before commencing any
    Child Dental Benefits Schedule service including examinations, diagnostic services
    and emergency treatment. This includes services rendered by a dental hygienist, oral
    health therapist, dental prosthetist or dental therapist on behalf of a dentist. If the
    dentist has another eligible dental practitioner perform the service the dentist must
    ensure compliance by that other practitioner.

    For example, in the case of an initial examination, the patient or the patient’s
    parent/guardian needs to be informed that an examination will be performed and
    the likely cost of the examination and consent is obtained for the dentist to proceed.
    If, subsequent to that examination, further services are required, the patient or the
    patient’s parent/guardian needs to be informed of what treatment is required and
    the likely cost, and further consent must be given prior to the provision of those
    subsequent services.

    All instances of patient consent must be documented. Instances of consent can be
    documented together on a single consent form on the day of treatment (see ‘When
    and what Patient Consent Form needs to be used?’ section on page 13)

    Consequences of non-compliance
    Where a Child Dental Benefits Schedule benefit has been incorrectly paid, the
    Department of Human Services may request recovery of that benefit from the
    practitioner concerned. Beyond the recovery of benefits, making or authorising false
    or misleading statements relating to dental benefits is an offence, and penalties
    including fines and imprisonment (in the case of deliberately misleading statements)
    may apply.

    http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/42FC28F2797C4A10CA257BF0001A35F6/$File/Guide-to-CDBS-v2.pdf

    Hope that helps.