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Don't Forget to Renew Your License On-Time - Common Sense Legal Advice That May Save You Thousands of Dollars By: Benjamin J. LantzImagine if you received no payment for any patient that you treated for months because of a simple clerical mistake. It is a possibility. The failure to timely renew your license will cost you more than a late renewal fee to the Department of Health—it may result in months of lost income. We recently have seen an increase in cases where a dentist simply forgets to renew his/her license. Typically, after a month or two, the dentist remembers or a patient asks why the dentist’s license is listed as expired on the DOH website. The dentist then immediately renews the license and pays DOH’s late renewal fee. However, that does not end your problems. Lately, insurance companies are refusing to pay dentists for worked performed during any lapse in a dentist’s license. The insurance company argues that the dentist was not a “licensed” dentist at the time of the treatment, so it has no obligation to pay for the treatment. Indeed, insurance companies are finding these situations so beneficial that they now actively research expired licenses in an attempt to save themselves thousands of dollars. While some legal and equitable arguments can be made to counter these arguments, it could lead to a long, protracted lawsuit. The solution is simple—make sure your license renewal is timely submitted. We encourage you to separately calendar the renewal date at home, at the office, on your cell phone, and with your office manager. It just may save you months of hard earned income. If you do find yourself in this unfortunate position, however, please call us as soon as possible so we can help. |
