| How
Managed Care Works In
a managed care system, the overall
concern is for the bottom line.
The insurance company contracts with
certain dentists and closely controls
the costs of the work these dentists
perform. (Some managed care
plans actually have penalties for
dentists who refer patients to
specialists or who perform too many
procedures!)
The concept behind
managed care is "cost
containment." Certainly, by
encouraging doctors to not
perform costly procedures or to not
refer patients to specialists, overall
costs are reduced. However, the
focus has shifted from the patient's
well being to the bottom line, and
patients lose the freedom to choose
their dental care.
If you join a
managed care plan, the dentist you are
assigned or select from the plan's
list will be your primary
dentist. No matter what your
dental problem may be at any given
time, you will always have to see your
primary care dentist before you visit
a specialist. It is the responsibility
of this primary dentist to determine
if you require the service of a
specialist, and even then, your
insurance company may only allow you
to see a specialist who is part of the
plan. Once again, this limits
your freedom of choice and prevents
you from seeking out the most
qualified specialist for your
situation.
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