At Ketchikan Pediatric Dentistry we understand that insurance can be a complicated matter and we are committed to helping our patients through this process. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff is available prior to and on the day of your child’s appointment to assist you.
We participate with Tricare and Denali Kid Care. For these insurances, we will submit as a means of payment on your behalf– please call our office to explain further details.
All other open plan dental insurances are accepted on an out-of-network basis. If you choose to schedule with an out-of-network provider, you are responsible for all fees not covered by your insurance plan.
If we have received all of your insurance information on the day of the appointment, we will be happy to file your claim for you. You must be familiar with your insurance benefits, as we will collect from you the estimated amount insurance is not expected to pay. If you are not familiar with your insurance benefits, please call our office before your appointment and our staff will be happy to assist you and call your insurance for your. We file all insurance promptly, so your insurance company will receive each claim within days of the treatment. Your insurance processes the claim and sends you notice of the result (estimation of benefits, or “EOB”). Insurance will typically process claims within 30 days. You will be responsible for any deductibles, co-payments, or balances not covered by insurance. You are responsible for any balance on your account after 45 days, whether insurance has paid or not. We will be glad to send a refund to you if your insurance pays us. Although rare, some insurance carriers will not reimburse our office directly. In such instances, you will be responsible for the full cost of each visit at the time services are provided, and your insurance company will send you the reimbursement check directly.
Insurance is a contract between you, your employer and the insurance company. We are not a party to that contract. Depending on your individual plan, all services may not be covered.
As a courtesy to our patients, we offer to file dental claims on their behalf. All claims are filed promptly to expedite communication with your insurance company. It is important for you to keep us informed of any insurance changes such as policy name, group and ID number, or a change of employment. We are not, however, responsible for how your insurance company processes the claims or for what benefits are ultimately paid on a claim. Our office bases treatment on your child’s needs, not what your insurance will pay. Insurance payments are determined by the benefit package that your employer purchased. Therefore, all account balances which have not been paid are the responsibility of the parent/guardian.
PLEASE NOTE: Many plans have frequency limitations pertaining to a number of the procedures done in our office. These limitations may change from benefit year to benefit year. If you are concerned about coverage for these services, please contact your insurance company prior to your visit. We cannot accept responsibility for negotiating a disputed claim and allow a maximum of 45-days for your insurance company to clear account balances. We will assist you in dealing with your insurance company however, if after 45 days the insurance company hasn’t paid the balance, payment will be due, by the accompanying parent/guardian.
Payment for professional services is due at the time dental treatment is provided:
Payment options include the following:
- Cash
- Checks
- Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Amex
- Care Credit
We make every effort to keep down the cost of dental care. If your child’s treatment program requires several visits, you will be given a written treatment plan outlining the proposed treatment for your child and our fees associated with that treatment. Sometimes, it is in the best interest of the child to provide dental treatment before the parents are prepared to pay the full fee at the time of service. Monthly payment plans are available. You may discuss definite financial arrangements with our office business staff. Please be aware that the parent bringing the child to our office is legally responsible for payment of all charges. We cannot send statements to other persons.
For separated or divorced parents: the parent who brings the child to the office is legally responsible for payment of fees charged for that child’s care. If another agrees to payment responsibility, that person must provide a notarized acknowledgment in writing of their desire to pay for care. It is the responsibility of the person bringing the child to the office to obtain a written agreement and to inform the other person of care being provided.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact our friendly office staff at 907-523-KIDS (5437).