Dental Implant Costs on the Web!
Want to find out the usual fee for a dental implant or wisdom tooth surgery in your area? A new healthcare fee clearinghouse is bringing this information to the web for consumers to access at no charge. FAIR Health is a nonprofit organization that maintains a database that healthcare insurers now use to determine reimbursement rates for care. The service was started after a settlement reached with the New York State's Attorney General investigation of Ingenix, a database previously used by insurers to establish healthcare reimbursement fees. The investigation disclosed fraud and conflict of interest in the way insurers used and helped maintain the Ingenix database.
FAIR Health's website, www.fairhealthconsumer.org, is a resource for consumers seeking fair, unbiased information regarding insurance company reimbursement for healthcare. The site provides an estimated charge, estimated reimbursement and out-of-pocket cost for any dental procedure simply by entering your zip code and description of service or CDT(Current Dental Terminology) code.
The fees in the database are derived from actual costs submitted by local dental providers and should be an accurate representation of the general fee for a particular service in your area. Keep in mind that service fees may vary for the same procedure between different providers. Also, your particular out-of-pocket expense for dental care is determined by deductibles, and yearly benefit maximums that your employer provides. Those without dental benefits will find the information useful in planning for anticipated dental expenses.
The FAIR website only provides information on dental services at this time. Medical reimbursement fees will become available in August of this year.