Our Perspective on Insurance

Patients Deserve Options

The term “out of network” as it relates to insurance simply means the provider has not signed a contract with the dental insurance company. It does not mean you cannot use your insurance benefits in our office. In most cases, dental insurance plans allow patients to use the provider of their choice, including Dr Barrineau.

We Put You First

The patient experience is of paramount importance at the office of Dr Barrineau. In our office, we can get you appointed promptly, giving you the time and attention you deserve with every appointment, building beautiful smiles with providers you trust. Because dentists who are in-network with insurance companies are compensated on lower insurance-negotiated rates, they often need to see more patients in a day to make up for that. This can mean waiting months to be seen, shorter appointment times, and rushed visits.

Our Patients Receive Personalized Care and Attention

“Not Contracted” is not a problem! By not being contracted with any insurance companies, Dr Barrineau can offer her patients the services and treatments that she thinks are best for her patients. She presents her patients with options so they can choose what feels right for them, not being limited to just what their insurance policy is inclined to cover. Preventative care services, cutting-edge technology, and longer-lasting restorations can be the best long-term solutions for both the patient and the pocketbook.
Dental insurance companies have created many rules as to how patients can use their benefits, limiting the treatments, materials, and procedures in their effort to prioritise cost over care.

Prioritize Your Care

Many insurance policies have waiting periods and frequency limitations that can cause treatment delays. Since our office is out of network, our patients can receive the care and services they need when they need them.

The Finances of Insurance

When choosing to pursue dental insurance, we want our patients to be informed consumers. Despite inflation and rising healthcare costs, many dental insurance plans have the same annual maximums of $1000-1500, originally set in the 1960s.
There has also been a cost shift such that insured patients have greater financial responsibility than ever before. Deductibles and copays have increased, yet now services are being downgraded, and allowable amounts are limited. This has resulted in lower insurance contributions despite an increase in insurance premiums.

While insurance plans often contribute to cleanings, images, and preventative maintenance dental care, many plans have limited coverage for major procedures. Additionally, it has become common practice for insurance companies to downgrade
services, meaning patients are reimbursed for a less expensive service than what the patient requires and receives. These factors can result in patients paying more in premiums each year than what they actually receive in insurance contributions to
services rendered, which might not suggest a sound financial decision.

Many insurance companies have adopted what is called the LEAT clause. Under this clause, if there are multiple professionally acceptable treatment options for a patient, the dental plan will only cover the cost of the least expensive alternative treatment
(LEAT). The patient is then responsible for the difference in cost if they choose a higher-quality treatment option, as recommended by their dentist. For example, a dentist might recommend a durable, all-ceramic crown, but the insurance plan,
applying a LEAT clause, might only pay for a less expensive, non-precious metal filling. Dr Barrineau prefers to present patients with all of their treatment options and allow the patients to choose the option they prefer.

While our office chooses to stay non-contract with all insurance companies, our goal is to maximize out-of-network benefits for our patients. We will still file claims for any services patients receive in our office. We offer discounts to seniors and for all
patient portions paid in full over $300 with cash or a check at the time of service. We accept HSA cards and CareCredit as options for payment of dental services. We will also make in-office financial arrangements with our patients for pending
treatment needs.