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Professional Setting You're Most Likely To Be Ripped Off In (1 Viewer)

fantasycurse42

fantasycurse42

Footballguy Jr.
While the obvious answer might be something like a car dealership, I have to lean dentist here. 

Even if you have top notch dental insurance (which is an oxymoron in itself), no matter what, if there is anything wrong with your teeth, you owe the dentist :bucketsofmoney: - and if there is something wrong, forget about it, endless cash. Even worse, they can never let you know how much or even a ballpark until after the work is completed. 

Finding an honest dentist that doesn't rip you off or try to sell you some unnecessary dental work is a home run (I'm yet to find one). 

What you got? What type of business setting do you feel you're most likely to be ripped off?

 
Auto mechanic:  They could tell me "your thingamajig fetzer valve is leaking and needs replaced'"  and I would be like: "ok"

 
fantasycurse42 said:
While the obvious answer might be something like a car dealership, I have to lean dentist here. 

Even if you have top notch dental insurance (which is an oxymoron in itself), no matter what, if there is anything wrong with your teeth, you owe the dentist :bucketsofmoney: - and if there is something wrong, forget about it, endless cash. Even worse, they can never let you know how much or even a ballpark until after the work is completed. 

Finding an honest dentist that doesn't rip you off or try to sell you some unnecessary dental work is a home run (I'm yet to find one). 

What you got? What type of business setting do you feel you're most likely to be ripped off?
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Our dentist never tries to upsell me but puts the hard sell on my wife and daughters and they cave.  Plus he wants to take x-rays twice a year...I always refuse.  Plus I think he overnights the bill..never been billed so fast by any company before.

 
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fantasycurse42 said:
While the obvious answer might be something like a car dealership,
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Car dealerships are easy not to get taken.  Too much information out there these days.  

Arrow is right, though - mechanics.  It's very hard sometimes to know if they're giving straight dope on what the issue is.

 
Vet, for similar reasons as the dentist.  Go into a dental cleaning with an estimate, that's kind of a "we don't know what we'll find."  Plus, all the shots and tests that may or may not be needed, but agree to it because the vet recommended it.

 
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Don Quixote said:
Vet, for similar reasons as the dentist.  Go into a dental cleaning with an estimate, that's kind of a "we don't know what we'll find."
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Oh yea, this is a good one, and when a dog is sick, people will pay whatever it costs. 

About a decade ago, our chocolate lab got really sick (it was my mothers, but we loved it like he was ours). He was only about 7. Vet recommended some aggressive treatments that cost thousands upon thousands, which my brother and I footed the bill since my mother couldn't afford it. My big man was dead 7 days later. 

 
fantasycurse42 said:
While the obvious answer might be something like a car dealership, I have to lean dentist here. 

Even if you have top notch dental insurance (which is an oxymoron in itself), no matter what, if there is anything wrong with your teeth, you owe the dentist :bucketsofmoney: - and if there is something wrong, forget about it, endless cash. Even worse, they can never let you know how much or even a ballpark until after the work is completed. 

Finding an honest dentist that doesn't rip you off or try to sell you some unnecessary dental work is a home run (I'm yet to find one). 

What you got? What type of business setting do you feel you're most likely to be ripped off?
Click to expand...
Strongly agree here. Not sure if it's the worst but it's definitely up there. I'm not sure if it's been a long standing thing with dentists or if it's been a recent trend over the past decade or if I've been naive and am just realizing it now. They try to upcharge you for everything from fluoride treatment, x-rays, lies about having cavities or needing fillings, mouth guards, and hell...intentionally billing your insurance wrong so your service is out of network.

I always had good experiences with dentists until my early 30's and this is coming from someone who job jumped (and changed cities and thus dentists) frequently in their 20's. I had taken a new job at a large metropolis building that had lots of side businesses available within it. One of them was a highly regarded dentist office. I knew people who enjoyed going there and knew dental assistants who frequently applied there as they were a highly desirable place to work and very selective in hiring. I thought it'd be great, go to the dentist during my work day with the convenience of it being in the same building I worked in. First visit was fine, teeth were good and it made sense as I never had a cavity in my life. Little did I know I was being buttered up. Every visit I had after that I supposedly had a new cavity or needed a filling. At the time I figured I was getting older and these things happen. I had enough of them after the 3rd or 4th consecutive visit of needing work done. Pulled the plug on them and told my friends that went there my experience and to avoid them. Turns out their experiences were similar but not as extreme as mine.

Current dentist I switched to does fine and magically I'm back to no cavities. They always try to upsell you on x-rays and fluoride treatment every visit. Adults don't need fluoride treatment, you get plenty of fluoride between drinking water and your toothpaste. Easy enough to decline these when I know insurance won't cover them. X-rays covered 1x per year and fluoride isn't covered. The little game they play that ticks us off is our dentist always seems to be out of office on the day of our appointments, it's an office with 3 dentists that work there. Not a big deal until they schedule a different dentist while you're there that is always out of network for your insurance. Easy way to upcharge you. Luckily we always catch it, dispute it and getting our bill corrected accordingly.

Such a dishonest business these days.

 
Don Quixote said:
Vet, for similar reasons as the dentist.  Go into a dental cleaning with an estimate, that's kind of a "we don't know what we'll find."  Plus, all the shots and tests that may or may not be needed, but agree to it because the vet recommended it.
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A buddy of mine had a dog with a big bump on his wrist. Too him in and they suggested x-rays. They wanted to charge him another $150 to get a second vet to look at the results because they couldn't figure it out. Ugh. 

 
Real estate agents.   Looking  to sell my house, 5% commission is going to be like $20k.  For posting pictures to a web site and meeting me at a few properties so I can walk around them. Even if he puts in 60 hours of work no way the services he provides is worth that.

 
Hot Diggity Dog said:
Real estate agents.   Looking  to sell my house, 5% commission is going to be like $20k.  For posting pictures to a web site and meeting me at a few properties so I can walk around them. Even if he puts in 60 hours of work no way the services he provides is worth that.
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they get you better on the other end....not everyone knows/realizes that RE agents work for the seller. So when you hire them to show you houses, they are really pimping their listings hard bc they don't have to split the commission. 

 
Hot Diggity Dog said:
Real estate agents.   Looking  to sell my house, 5% commission is going to be like $20k.  For posting pictures to a web site and meeting me at a few properties so I can walk around them. Even if he puts in 60 hours of work no way the services he provides is worth that.
Click to expand...


glvsav37 said:
they get you better on the other end....not everyone knows/realizes that RE agents work for the seller. So when you hire them to show you houses, they are really pimping their listings hard bc they don't have to split the commission. 
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This business model is currently being disrupted - it won't be around for that much longer. 

 
Parrothead said:
HVAC
Click to expand...
I just (literally JUST, as in 2 hours ago) got an additional shaft on a new HVAC.  Not only did it cost a fortune to buy/install, but the frigging thing has clogged twice already in the last month, causing water to back up in the drainage line and shut the A/C down.  They told me they can't come clear it again without charging us - told me to buy a wet vac and attach it to the drainage line outside to vacuum it out.  Apparently, I'll need to do this every 2 weeks?  Meanwhile, the old unit never clogged once in 4 1/2 years.  Uh huh.

Then today, the county had to come out to do an inspection of the unit for some reason.  Guy never showed up, at least not that I heard.  Unless he came while I was taking a leak, tapped on the door and never rang the bell, and took off.  Now they're billing me $75 to send the guy back out to do the inspection that I don't want and never asked for.  I doubt the dude ever actually came to the house.

####ing horse####.

 
Evilgrin 72 said:
I just (literally JUST, as in 2 hours ago) got an additional shaft on a new HVAC.  Not only did it cost a fortune to buy/install, but the frigging thing has clogged twice already in the last month, causing water to back up in the drainage line and shut the A/C down.  They told me they can't come clear it again without charging us - told me to buy a wet vac and attach it to the drainage line outside to vacuum it out.  Apparently, I'll need to do this every 2 weeks?  Meanwhile, the old unit never clogged once in 4 1/2 years.  Uh huh.

Then today, the county had to come out to do an inspection of the unit for some reason.  Guy never showed up, at least not that I heard.  Unless he came while I was taking a leak, tapped on the door and never rang the bell, and took off.  Now they're billing me $75 to send the guy back out to do the inspection that I don't want and never asked for.  I doubt the dude ever actually came to the house.

####ing horse####.
Click to expand...
Did you get multiple estimates?

I think anytime you are dropping...say over $500 or whatever...for home stuff and medical expenses, get multiple estimates or opinions.

 
glvsav37 said:
they get you better on the other end....not everyone knows/realizes that RE agents work for the seller. So when you hire them to show you houses, they are really pimping their listings hard bc they don't have to split the commission. 
Click to expand...
We are looking to upgrade and get a property with land and in high demand area, especially fifteen years from now  sell it in the $1m range and make a final move to a retirement property,  can not imagine paying some agent $50,000.  

 
eoMMan said:
Did you get multiple estimates?

I think anytime you are dropping...say over $500 or whatever...for home stuff and medical expenses, get multiple estimates or opinions.
Click to expand...
Yeah.  I was OK with the original price (even though it's high, I live in FL so a powerful HVAC unit is needed to cool a house, even a somewhat modest one) but if I have to clear the drainage line myself twice a month, that's going to get really old really fast.  Doesn't seem right, although they claim there's nothing wrong with it.  This inspection BS actually has nothing to do with them and everything to do with the county.  Frigging crooks.

 
Pretty much anything related to the state or government in California. Taxed on everything out the ###, multiple times on some stuff. 

 
I’ve been going to the same dentist since 1994 and there has never been a recommendation for any work to be done.

 
Hot Diggity Dog said:
We are looking to upgrade and get a property with land and in high demand area, especially fifteen years from now  sell it in the $1m range and make a final move to a retirement property,  can not imagine paying some agent $50,000.  
Click to expand...
Not that it matters but for clarity.  You're not paying 50k to some agent.

Your paying 50k to an agency who splits that with another agency and each agency splits their 25k with each agent.

Each agent gets 12k-17k in this example.

Still alot of money but its never "paying some agent 50k."

 
fantasycurse42 said:
While the obvious answer might be something like a car dealership, I have to lean dentist here. 

Even if you have top notch dental insurance (which is an oxymoron in itself), no matter what, if there is anything wrong with your teeth, you owe the dentist :bucketsofmoney: - and if there is something wrong, forget about it, endless cash. Even worse, they can never let you know how much or even a ballpark until after the work is completed. 

Finding an honest dentist that doesn't rip you off or try to sell you some unnecessary dental work is a home run (I'm yet to find one). 

What you got? What type of business setting do you feel you're most likely to be ripped off?
Click to expand...
I am very lucky in that a HS friend joined his father in law's dental practice, and I have good dental insurance via work that the practice accepts. I tell him to basically get paid and do whatever he needs to do, and he'll balance with what works best under the coverage. 

Basically find a guy/girl for things you're not an expert on through whatever network of contacts that you have at your disposal.

 
Sand said:
Car dealerships are easy not to get taken.  Too much information out there these days.  
Click to expand...
I think you are right about new car dealerships, but used car dealerships are ridiculous. Nobody wants to deal with the hassle of private sale but the cost to avoid that hassle can be absurd imo.

Although, with the price of a new tricked out pickup nearing $100k you could make the case plenty of people are getting screwed even at new car dealerships. Even if it does have a "satin chrome grille".

 
Evilgrin 72 said:
Yeah.  I was OK with the original price (even though it's high, I live in FL so a powerful HVAC unit is needed to cool a house, even a somewhat modest one) but if I have to clear the drainage line myself twice a month, that's going to get really old really fast.  Doesn't seem right, although they claim there's nothing wrong with it.  This inspection BS actually has nothing to do with them and everything to do with the county.  Frigging crooks.
Click to expand...
It's super easy to clear the drainage line with a wetvac (plenty of Youtube videos to show you exactly how to do it), but it is definitely not normal to have to do this on any kind of recurring frequency.  If your HVAC company/guy is telling you this is normal I would take my business elsewhere and would never give this guy another dime

 
fantasycurse42 said:
While the obvious answer might be something like a car dealership, I have to lean dentist here. 

Even if you have top notch dental insurance (which is an oxymoron in itself), no matter what, if there is anything wrong with your teeth, you owe the dentist :bucketsofmoney: - and if there is something wrong, forget about it, endless cash. Even worse, they can never let you know how much or even a ballpark until after the work is completed. 

Finding an honest dentist that doesn't rip you off or try to sell you some unnecessary dental work is a home run (I'm yet to find one). 

What you got? What type of business setting do you feel you're most likely to be ripped off?
Click to expand...
Weird. I have a phenomenal dentist and every time I get a bill it's like $27 compared to when I get a Dr bill that's always $200-300.  Probably insurance retaliated which is the biggest rip off period. 

But I will go with the eye Dr.   Complete crap that the insurance only covers bifocals instead of progressives. That's like car insurance only covering horse drawn carriages. If both of us get a new pair if glasses it's an easy $1000 bill. 

 
fantasycurse42 said:
While the obvious answer might be something like a car dealership, I have to lean dentist here. 

Even if you have top notch dental insurance (which is an oxymoron in itself), no matter what, if there is anything wrong with your teeth, you owe the dentist :bucketsofmoney: - and if there is something wrong, forget about it, endless cash. Even worse, they can never let you know how much or even a ballpark until after the work is completed. 

Finding an honest dentist that doesn't rip you off or try to sell you some unnecessary dental work is a home run (I'm yet to find one). 

What you got? What type of business setting do you feel you're most likely to be ripped off?
Click to expand...
This is what you get with corporate clinics these days.

I started doing whatever i could to get high res photos of everything i recommend to avoid this perception of my business.

Do the work or don't, but at least people aren't asking me why because they can see it clearly

In addition the part about not knowing the bill is nuts.  No one agrees to do anything with us without knowing a pretty close price estimate.

You have to be using corporate

 
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Lionsfan011 said:
Strongly agree here. Not sure if it's the worst but it's definitely up there. I'm not sure if it's been a long standing thing with dentists or if it's been a recent trend over the past decade or if I've been naive and am just realizing it now. They try to upcharge you for everything from fluoride treatment, x-rays, lies about having cavities or needing fillings, mouth guards, and hell...intentionally billing your insurance wrong so your service is out of network.

I always had good experiences with dentists until my early 30's and this is coming from someone who job jumped (and changed cities and thus dentists) frequently in their 20's. I had taken a new job at a large metropolis building that had lots of side businesses available within it. One of them was a highly regarded dentist office. I knew people who enjoyed going there and knew dental assistants who frequently applied there as they were a highly desirable place to work and very selective in hiring. I thought it'd be great, go to the dentist during my work day with the convenience of it being in the same building I worked in. First visit was fine, teeth were good and it made sense as I never had a cavity in my life. Little did I know I was being buttered up. Every visit I had after that I supposedly had a new cavity or needed a filling. At the time I figured I was getting older and these things happen. I had enough of them after the 3rd or 4th consecutive visit of needing work done. Pulled the plug on them and told my friends that went there my experience and to avoid them. Turns out their experiences were similar but not as extreme as mine.

Current dentist I switched to does fine and magically I'm back to no cavities. They always try to upsell you on x-rays and fluoride treatment every visit. Adults don't need fluoride treatment, you get plenty of fluoride between drinking water and your toothpaste. Easy enough to decline these when I know insurance won't cover them. X-rays covered 1x per year and fluoride isn't covered. The little game they play that ticks us off is our dentist always seems to be out of office on the day of our appointments, it's an office with 3 dentists that work there. Not a big deal until they schedule a different dentist while you're there that is always out of network for your insurance. Easy way to upcharge you. Luckily we always catch it, dispute it and getting our bill corrected accordingly.

Such a dishonest business these days.
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We do recommend the fluoride treatments to our high cavity risk individuals.

Everything else you describe sounds bad.  Sounds corporate again.

But people want to go in network and corporate offices take all the plans.  Individual dentists don't want to me with the low reimbursement rates so we target those without dental insurance.

The corporate clinics are running by business people to maximize profits.   Of course i want to be profitable to, but i find the corporate tactics gross.  They are why this thread is happening

 
tonydead said:
Weird. I have a phenomenal dentist and every time I get a bill it's like $27 compared to when I get a Dr bill that's always $200-300.  Probably insurance retaliated which is the biggest rip off period. 

But I will go with the eye Dr.   Complete crap that the insurance only covers bifocals instead of progressives. That's like car insurance only covering horse drawn carriages. If both of us get a new pair if glasses it's an easy $1000 bill. 
Click to expand...
2 comments.  1, that's your vision plan,  not the optometrist.  2, I have no idea how you'd spend $1000 on two pair of glasses with most common vision plans. 

 
Mad Cow said:
2 comments.  1, that's your vision plan,  not the optometrist.  2, I have no idea how you'd spend $1000 on two pair of glasses with most common vision plans. 
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I just got glasses, they were nearly 700.  Not bifocals

 
Hot Diggity Dog said:
Real estate agents.   Looking  to sell my house, 5% commission is going to be like $20k.  For posting pictures to a web site and meeting me at a few properties so I can walk around them. Even if he puts in 60 hours of work no way the services he provides is worth that.
Click to expand...
I think there's a big difference between a good real estate agent and a bad one. A bad one will only do what you are saying. A good one hustles hard, has lots of open houses, helps you negotiate, stages the house, etc. 

 
Mad Cow said:
2 comments.  1, that's your vision plan,  not the optometrist.  2, I have no idea how you'd spend $1000 on two pair of glasses with most common vision plans. 
Click to expand...
Yeah, I figure all this health stuff has more to do with the insurance carrier than the heath provider. But the question was which setting and for me it's the eye Dr. 

#1 is my coverage covers bifocals not progressive, I pay full price for that. Does anyone under the age of 90 even get bifocals anymore?

Frames are 200-300 for a decent pair, have no idea what transitions cost. It's all crap because it's just plastic and glass. The mark up is ridiculous and I'd be hard pressed to find an example that is worse. 

 
tonydead said:
Yeah, for an exam and about two dollars worth of plastic and glass. Ridiculous. 
Click to expand...
Glasses are custom made to your prescription and to your pupillary width and focal distance.

It's similar to people that think a dental crown is overpriced.  Anything custom made for you is pricey. If you needed custom fit shoes they would be expensive also.

I didn't feel over charged.   It was optional to purchase them, i chose some of the lens upgrades and was informed or the fees before saying yes

 
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