Dejibo,

I definitely have a little bee in my bonnet over this discount thing that you brought up, no insisted on in the previous thread. Your response HERE talks about people being in a financial strain and clipping coupons and taking advantage of marketing offers/discounts. Those are completely different issues than what the original discussion was about.

I am the first person to stand up for anyone in need. I have helped many, many people who have been in financial distress get the proper dental care at discounted rates. I am also very instrumental in finding creative ways for people to afford their dentistry without reducing the fees. The situation is dealt with on an individual basis and no one is turned away who is in need. But if every patient that walked in the door was given reduced fees I would be out of a job...... especially in todays economic mayhem.

For the record, dental insurance is very different than medical insurance. Most claims are submitted electronically and benefits are received within 7-10business days. There is no haggling with the insurance companies over treatment or benefits in offices where the dentist does not have a contract with the insurance company. The dental policies are very cut and dry and offer a yearly maximum benefit per individual with a pre determined percentage paid for each procedure. The closet comparison between medical and dental insurance is with the dental offices that are insurance driven, those which participate in various insurance plans. They are contracted to accept the pre determined fee per procedure set by the insurance company and either the patient or the insurance company pays the dentist that said fee. FYI...... it is illegal for "these" dentists to offer these patients a discounted rate below what they have already contracted/negotiated with their insurance. That however, is another matter...........

As far as taking advantage of marketing discounts....

I too use my supermarket card, cash back credit card, and department store card to get reductions on certain items. It would be silly not to.

I too use supermarket coupons, but only for the items that I would normally purchase. I have set a certain standard of what type of food I will buy and I personally don't buy something just because I have a coupon for it. Different strokes for different folks.

Unlike yourself, I don't have an employer who pays for my health insurance. My husband is self employed....... we pay $12,000 a year for medical insurance for just the two of us. I have chosen a plan that allows me to choose my physicians and affiliates so I am not forced to accept care from someone I don't want to. I also have a moderate yearly deductible and co payments on all diagnostic tests and hospital care. It's insane the amount of money we pay for our medical care, but I find ways to afford it without asking someone else to discount their fees. Quality care is utmost important to me...... that's why I chose the insurance plan that I did in the first place.

Kudos to you for being a cash customer and for being so diligent on getting your discounts! Seriously, you must be incredibly thrifty and organized to keep track of who's offering what!

Bryanna






QUOTE=Dejibo;487906]Bryanna, I think I may have hit a nerve when I told you that its common practice to seek cash discounts on medical/dental and other services in this neck of the woods. As I said before my dentist has a sign on the counter that "if you are paying cash for services, please ask about your discount." It is an automatic 10%. If you or your family are in financial strain, it can be discounted further. My MDs and the local hospital here also discount for cash services. Many MDs collect pennies on the dollar from insurance companies, and are happy to discount for cash and collect 90% of the fee. My intention was not to upset you, but to try to educate others that it is a growing common practice of many areas of the USA. I am one that hopes it catches on.

To answer your question

I clip coupons, and use my store shopper card to get a discount on groceries.
I have insurance so I dont pay for medical/dental care, but if paying cash, I indeed would ask.
The elderly couple next door and my family share a news paper subscription. They are very early risers, and when done, slip it in my box on their morning walk. I pass it on when I sit for a morning cup of tea at the local coffee house.
If you order your stamps ONline, they provide discounted services too.
I use an mail order pharmacy provided by my carrier and it shaves at least 15% off the total.
I get discounts at the mechanic because they send coupons in the mail, and I ask.
I call my internet/phone/cable provider once a year to upgrade or change my service to take advantage of the latest specials they are running.
I use supercuts for my haircuts, as I am not willing to pay $40 to have my bangs trimmed.
The local college offers discounted landscaping services if you allow them to use college students in training in the job.
I also receive a discount on electric service because I took advantage of a special program they had going to do an "energy audit" I followed the guidlines they gave, and when I submitted my paperwork with proof, I get 5% off for a year!
I get a discount on my warehouse shopper card because I belong to a certain credit union. I pay 15% less for that card.




I think offering discounts, or cash adjusted services is a wonderful thing! I am a cash customer, and when I am paying the whole amount upfront, and in full at the time of service, it pays off. I am not looking to rip anyone off, or slice into anyones paycheck. If a business doesnt want to discount for services, they dont have to, but it never hurts to ask, and 9 times out of 10, I get at least 10% off.[/QUOTE]