Is this insurance fraud?

[u/ChickenGooooood]

I got Invisalign. My dentist submitted the claim to insurance for $6000. The insurance negotiated the price to $3800. The dentist still wants me to pay $6000 with my insurance covering $2000. The statement from my insurance says I only owe $2000 but the dentist wants $4000 from me.

UPDATE: I just called Delta dental. They confirmed my dentist is an in-network provider. The office billed 6k and the contracted rate for Invisalign is $3879, of which I am responsible for half. I already made a 1.5k down payment prior to starting treatment. The office is trying to bill me $3500 instead of $1939. This is considered balance billing and is a violation of the contract my dentist has with delta dental. I can open a grievance with them if they do not comply.

Question.. if I signed an agreement prior to receiving a letter from my insurance, am I required to pay?

I don’t want to make things super awkward considering I just started my treatment. I’m going to send the following email (so I have documentation). I’m welcome to suggestions to make this less awkward.

Good morning,

I hope you’re doing well. I’m writing to clarify a billing issue I noticed regarding my Invisalign treatment which I attempted to clarify with you at my first appointment. I contacted Delta Dental for further clarification and they confirmed that the contracted rate for Invisalign with in-network providers is $3,879. Delta will cover 50% of that amount, and my responsibility as the patient is $1,938.

Delta also confirmed that Dr. G is an in-network provider. As such, billing me beyond the contracted rate would be considered balance billing and would not align with Delta Dental’s in-network billing guidelines.

I truly appreciate the care I’ve been receiving from your office and want to make sure we’re all on the same page. I’m bringing this to your attention in the spirit of transparency and to ensure that everything is handled in accordance with the insurance agreement.

After double checking my file, could you please confirm the balance I owe considering I already made a downpayment of $1500.

[u/duchessofcheezit]

So, this happened with us, but with an ENT practice. They made us pay out of pocket with the promise that we would be reimbursed the rest after insurance made their payout. Insurance (BCBS) paid per their agreement with the practice. I submitted proof and spent hours on the phone between the practice and BCBS. I went all the way up the chain to the CFO of the practice. He told me that they didn’t like the payout they received from insurance, and they would be keeping the balance. I contacted insurance, nearly in tears. The rep told me to contact the practice’s billing office and request an itemized statement, including the insurance payout. And when they ask why…tell them that insurance is opening a fraud investigation. So, I called. The lady was all chipper until I made my request. She became short and asked me if she could call me back. She never did. Instead, a week later we received, by certified mail, a check with the full reimbursement from the practice and a letter telling us to never return.

[u/ChickenGooooood → u/duchessofcheezit]

Absolutely ridiculous. I’m sorry you went through that.