no in network dentist in our area

[saculbreth]

What is the name of your state? south carolina
My husband and I are covered under his insurance at work which is Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia. We bought the dental coverage. And to get the best deal you have to go to a participating dentist. But they have no participating dentist in our area to go to. So that means that we are paying for something that we cannot use. Unless we go out of network and then they only pay 50% instead of the 80%. This is not fair in my book. We should be able to get the 80% coverage. Its not our fault that they don't have anyone participating. We was not told this when we purchased the coverage. We was just told to pick what plan and deductiable that we wanted. Then when you go to use it you find out. What can we do about this? Anything? Help please.

[cbg]

Nothing you can do about it now. Why didn't you investigate what dentists were in the area before you picked your plan? That's what most people do.

[ecmst12]

How far would you have to go to find a participating dentist? Have you discussed the problem with customer service? They may be willing to make an exception if there are no participating dentists within 100 miles or something, it depends on how the policy is written.

[xylene]

I have driven over 200 miles to go to the dentist of my preference.

That is with no insurance.

I live in a state with thousands of dentists.

What they are doing is cheap, and low. Vote for a national healthcare agenda next time you can be bothered to vote.

PS - way to go red state.

[cbg]

Whoa, hold the phone here.

The insurance carrier cannot force any given dentist, or any dentist at all, to join their network. I can assure you that there is nothing any carrier would like better than to have 100% of the dentists in any given area participating. It doesn't benefit the carrier any to have a small network - the bigger the better, as far as they're concerned. Nor does it have anything to do with blue or red states.

OP, if there is a dentist that you would like to see that is not participating, have you suggested to the dentist that he join the network? Have you asked the carrier to recruit the dentist? The dentist might be more inclined to join if he knew that his patients were interested.