Greater St. Louis Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

Complaint: ***

I am rejecting this response because: Two days prior to oral surgery, we had a required consultation at the Orthodontist to discuss in depth: the oral surgery and fees that were due at the time services are rendered. That’s when they took the X-rays and corrected their initial assumption that my daughter had 6 wisdom teeth as opposed to the 4 wisdom teeth she actually had visible on the new X-rays they photographed; so there wouldn’t be extra charges assessed for additional wisdom teeth. There would still be $88 at the time of servicing for the X-rays in total. I was told that they would pre-certify the surgery with the insurance company over the next two days and would confirm at the time of her surgery (2 days later) the Insurance covered the entire procedure excluding the $88 due for the x-rays we had discussed. When the surgery was administered two days later (More than enough time to certify a surgical procedure… I should know because I’ve had many!), I brought the $88 as promised and received a receipt indicating the payment (attached). We also had a follow up appointment one week later. This would be the time the office should’ve alertted me if there had been a resurgence of unanticipated fees due from the surgery. Yet, no one contacted me, nor mailed me, nor billed me to notify me of any financial obligations until November 29, 2017, 6 months AFTER her surgery 6/21/17! All at once, on November 29 and December 1, I received a bill for $88 (on both days, just one calendar date apart) that stated I was 121+ days delinquent on a bill I was never notified of not agreed to pay. I was never contacted by the insurance company with a statement that showed that I owed which I would typically see following a procedure that exhausted my annual allowances. In closing, the definition of FRAUD is deliberate deception to secure unfair or unlawful gain. This Orthdontist is fraudulently billing me based for fees that were paid at the time services were rendered. PLEASE NOTE: It is the practice of this office to conduct a consultation appointment and precertify patients procedures prior to surgery so that all monies due can be collected at the time of servicing —- NO EXCEPTIONS. I attended the consultation, the surgery and the follow up appointment 1 week later. I paid what I was told was required at the time of surgery to abide. Offices should not be allowed to “Trump” up additional charges and hold patients responsible. The Missouri Attorney General should investigate how many others patients are being manipulated by these deceptive financial practices cultivated by this office. I’m sure there are others being robbed too!

Sincerely