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Grandma's old dentures were so bad that she couldn't eat so the nursing home got a dentist in to examine her & make new ones. The nursing home was supposed to file with her insurance companies but somehow messed that up & refuse to do anything about it now. Apparently they havent even tried to file with Medicare either and the dentist has come after my mom for the money ( she is gma's proxy), telling her that if she doesn't pay, they'll call APS ! Please give me some direction, mom is SO stressed about this !

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Does Grandma have dental insurance?

Does Grandma have assets?

My mom's general dental care was paid for by private dental insurance. If she had needed new dentures, she would have paid for them out of her funds. We declined to have new dentures made.

Did mom sign as responsible party? Just because she is poa does NOT make her responsible for gma's bills.
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I "think" that begining this year Medicare does provide some benefits for dentist and optical plus hearing.
For hearing it is necessary to use a specified provider. No way is the whole cost covered for everything but it helps some.
Unless Mom signed as the responsible party for Gmas dentures she should not be responsible. If Gmas funds are all being used for her care and the NH authorized the dental procedures it could be the NH is actually responsible for the costs.
I do not see any action that APS could take against Mom. She is not facilitating any abuse of Gma.
I think this is just debt collecters trying to put the frighteners on Mom to try .and get money
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Medicare /health insurance doesn't pay for dentures --- to my knowledge. If Grandma doesn't have dental insurance, she has to pay the bill.

From Medicare dot gov 
  
Dental services
How often is it covered?
Medicare doesn't cover most dental care, dental procedures, or supplies, like cleanings, fillings, tooth extractions, dentures, dental plates, or other dental devices. Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) will pay for certain dental services that you get when you're in a hospital. Part A can pay for if you need to have emergency or complicated dental procedures, even though the dental care isn't covered.
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If mom didn't sign anything that says she will be personally responsible for the money, she has every right to tell the dentist and the debt collector that she will be contacting law enforcement for harassment, there are laws in place in the USA to protect people from dirt bags like this. Find out for her and maybe even call and tell them to stop harassing mom or face the legal consequences. I know a lady that was awarded 3 million dollars because of the stress and fear created by an unscrupulous collector. Good luck and bite back at these 💩.
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RubysGdaughter, as mentioned above, Medicare doesn't pay for dentures. The money would come out of Grandmother's funds, not your Mom's private funds.

My parents had private dental insurance on and off for 30 years after my Dad retired from work. They were so surprised that Medicare didn't pay for dental care. And here my Mom had upper and lower plates, of which she was always breaking them as she never kept the plates in long enough daily to get use to them.... [sigh].
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thanks everyone...this has been crazy ! her insurances are not the most cooperative folks LOL
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If Gma is on Medicaid they should have covered it. Medical insurance does not pay like said maybe dental would. Now to the doctor. Turn the tables. Its the Dentists fault for not checking to make sure she had coverage. No major dental procedure is done without contacting insurance and making sure its covered under that insurance. Then, this is all discussed with the patient to show what they need to pay and u should have been included in that discussion. You as POA are personally not responsible for payment. If Gma has money then as financial POA you are. Call APS on you, don't think they cover unpaid bills. And this kind of harrassment is illegal like said. I was a collector. The FTC can be contacted for harrassment.
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First, is Gma on Medicaid meaning they are paying for her room and care. If so, then the dentist claim stops there. If he was called in by the home then he excepts Medicaid. He must except what Medicaid pays him. He cannot bill for the difference. If this is so, and they continue to harrass tell them you will report him to Medicaid.

Now if Gma is private pay for her room and has dental, the insurance may pay partial and Grandma pays the rest. The home cannot help you with this. Their responsibility was to give the dentist insurance info and he was to do the billing and predetermination with the insurance. Since ur getting harrassed I am assuming the bill has been turned over to a collection agency. You need to call the dentists office and ask for billing dept. You need to find out from billing what insurance co. they sent the charges to. Like I said, if GMa Medicaid then you owe the dentist nothing. If you have dental make sure they went thru them. If Gma has dental, ask if a preditermination of cost was done before work. Most dental insurance require this and will either penalize or not pay the claim. If this happened then the dentist is up the creek with no paddle. You then have to determine what part of the bill insurance would have covered and you just pay what u would have originally. You r not responsible for his penalty. Once you get this straightened out, ask the billing department who u pay, them or the collection agency once its all straightened around.
Lets say Gma is on Medicaid, she is because there is no money. When you get a call about payment determine first if its a collection agency. If they say yes, then explain Gma is on Medicaid and because of this she has no money. And, as her family you are not responsible for her debts. Also, you will be talking to the dentist office office concerning the bill and they (the collection co.)is not to call you again. If they do you will report them for unfair practices. There are laws in place for Collection agencies and harrassment is a no no. If I have totally confused you, call your local Officevof Aging. They may have someone who can take you thru the process. Worst thing that could happen is Gma's credit be effected. At this point, who cares. Did Mom sign anything OKing the procedure? Make sure she didn't sign anything saying shecwould be responsible for payment.
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AFTER my FIL died I got a call from his dentist: His new dentures were done. So I schlepped down to the dentist and gave him a check for $800 for dentures for a man who had died a month previously.

The dentist asked me if I wanted the dentures. I said "Leave them here and teach kids how to properly brush their teeth". So I actually got to take the $800 as a charitable contribution. :)

I don't think Medicare covers dental work. Not sure, probably should look into this, retirement looms.
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