United Healthcare

[fishdoggy1]

AARP has had an affiliation with UHC for as long as I can remember. I have a plan with them and went to my dentist on Monday, paid what the gal at the desk said I would owe for a filling, $75. A day later I get a letter saying UHC was not keeping my Dentist in network going back two weeks. The letter was generated a week after that date, and I didn't get it for another week. The person I talked to in some call center, probably southeast asia, said she could provide me a list of covered dentists, I said start a formal complaint. If AARP wants the kickback from UHC they better start to demand better business practices from them, postdating termination of coverage is crap.

[GailL1]

@fishdoggy1 

The insurer does not keep the dentist in the plan - the dentist makes the decision to join or not in a plan.  It is a contract deal between the dentist and the insurer - when that contract is up, the dentist has to re-up or leave the plan.

So yes, it might have been possible that the dentist that you saw opted out of renewing their in network status with UHC. Yes, it could have happened in a matter of weeks - always check the status with the provider before going to the appointment.  Still not foolproof but another step that can help to protect you.  

Think you should talk to your dentist or perhaps his billing office and find out if he has definitely left the UHC network - his choice not theirs.  

The only time an insurer would remove a medical/dental provider or facility from their in-network status is if they were found to be doing something wrong.