1 /5 Stella Lawson: Misleading âInâNetworkâ Claim Cost Me HundredsâSteer Clear of Affordable Smiles
I chose Affordable Smiles only because their name popped up in my insurance directory as an inânetwork provider. What they donât tell youâuntil after the work is doneâis that the dentist whose credentials qualify them for your plan left years ago. Because they never updated the insurance roster, my claim was processed as outâofânetwork, leaving me with a hefty surprise bill.
Hereâs the playbook they used on me:
False Listing: They let the outdated provider listing stay on major insurance databases, so searches for âinânetwork dentistsâ point straight to them.
No Disclosure: When you book the appointment and give your insurance info, no one bothers to mention theyâre out of network.
Sticker Shock: After treatment, your insurer rejects the claim. Affordable Smiles then hounds you for payment on a balance you thought would be covered.
Zero Accountability: When confronted, staff hide behind âpolicyâ instead of owning the deception or helping resolve the mess they created.
Whether you value honest billing, transparent communication, or just hate surprise dental debt, do yourself a favor and avoid Affordable Smiles. Call your insurer directly to confirm a dentistâs active network statusâbecause this office certainly wonât.
I wish someone had warned me; consider this your warning.