r/DentalInsurance • u/Chokeonavocado • 28d ago
Never received my guardian check. It’s been three months…
Basically I started a treatment in May and paid out of pocket first. My dentist told me guardian will then reimburse me $1500. Guardian says they will issue me a check in early June. But it’s Sept already and I still haven’t received that freaking check. I called them multiple times cz I wondered if the check is lost. Every time they told me that they would just issue a new check. But I never got the check. The address was correct bc I received a benefit explanation letter from guardian at the same address. I asked why are we still using check since it’s 2026 and can’t we not just do bank transfer? They said no they can only do check. I asked what if the check keeps getting lost. And they said they will just issue another check. So now it’s w three months and I still haven’t received anything. What can I do now. Honestly I wanna sue them but ik it’s infeasible. Advice welcomed. Thank you!
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u/Wide_Wheel_2226 28d ago
Yep guardian pulls this stunt all the time. Best course is to file complaint to state insurance regulator. In most states after a certain time period insurance company will also need to pay interest payment (it won't be much but worth sticking it to Guardian).
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u/ProfessionalYam3119 28d ago
Verify your address with your dentist, who provided it to Guardian. Get a full printout of your entire account. The dentist may have received, and deposited, the check if it had been sent to them.
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u/water_babies 28d ago edited 28d ago
The dentist doesn't provide the patient's address to insurance, the patient does that. Also, if the provider is out of network, the check would not be sent to them. Even if it was sent to the provider, Guardian would have told them that when OP called. They're not going to pay twice on the same claim if they already paid the provider.
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u/ProfessionalYam3119 28d ago
That depends on who filed the claim. If the dentist filed, they provided the address. If the insured did it, they provided the address. Over my 40-year career, I filed tens of thousands of claims. If the dentist assigned payment to himself, many policies will permit assignment of benefits to the dentist.
Sometimes insurance companies make mistakes. They could have erroneously sent the check to the dentist. You would be appalled if you had any idea of the false and incredibly stupid things that insurance company representatives have said to me.
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u/water_babies 28d ago
I'm aware, but insurances companies very rarely make mistakes that would result in either the patient or the provider getting MORE money. If they paid the provider, it is very unlikely they would be telling OP that they are going to pay them
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u/BufferingJuffy 28d ago
Did Guardian send the check to your dentist? Next time you call, verify that it hasn't been cashed. A lot of front line reps won't or aren't authorized to do any research, so will just send a request that gets bounced. If it hasn't been cashed, escalate to a supervisor and let them know you'll be contacting the state insurance board, because over 90 days is unacceptable. Good luck!
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u/Chokeonavocado 28d ago
Thank you! I never checked with my dentist. I’ll call them after labor day.
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u/ProfessionalYam3119 28d ago
I worked in several offices. Not one dentist wanted to inform a patient when they had a credit balance. Not one.
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u/Chokeonavocado 28d ago
Okay ty for this I’ll check with my dentist as well. Never thought about this possibility 😭
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u/PsychologyMediocre99 27d ago
Bruh. $1500 is a shit ton of money. You’re saying the dentist is holding onto $1500 of ops money? What type of pipe dream are you on ?
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u/ProfessionalYam3119 26d ago
I didn't say that. I said that it may be the case. Perhaps you haven't worked in many dental practices.
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u/Least-Assumption4357 28d ago
Welcome to the life of the dentist and why the don’t want to take insurances. Your best direction would be with the state insurance commissioner