PPE Fee

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Just got an email from our dentist - they walked through various things on safety and how they are open for emergencies right now. They also mentioned a PPE fee - they said this will help cover their additional costs for all these extra measures they need to take. It would be $25 a visit.

Now I have not been to a restaurant yet - but I have heard that many are also adding a PPE fee. I honestly do not know the details myself but it sounded like it was a percentage of your bill - either take out or for those states that have started outdoor or indoor dining.

I hear a lot of people being angry about having a "hidden" fee - this of course is through some posts but nothing more.

What are your thoughts on an added PPE fee?

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Type: Question • Score: 6 • Views: 438 • Replies: 15

If they tell you in advance, I can't argue with it. But slipped in at the end bothers me.

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@edgarblythe,

edgarblythe wrote:

If they tell you in advance, I can't argue with it. But slipped in at the end bothers me.

I am with you ... if it is spelled out and explained and clear I would pay it. It makes sense not only are these places suffering financially because they could not be open but they need to pay all the extra money for these extra precautions helping to keep everyone safe.

I don’t like it buried though because then it seems like they are hiding it.

Was a little upset when I brought my dog to get groomed ... they had it set up so you drop them off outside and you can pay online minimizing contact ... but I couldn’t give a tip online. I did want to give a good tip with extra knowing they have not been working for a while. Did give it in cash but an online tip option would have been better.

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@Linkat,

I guess it depends. In a dentist office, they should be taking preventive measures for infectious diseases all the time, not just in the age of the Covid-19. What did they do for the flu last season? Don't the dentists and hygienists wear masks all the time? I get a restaurant having to raise prices since their overhead is spread over less customers. Medical offices, not so much.

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@engineer,

Bingo

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@engineer,

this is what they wrote:

Quote:

. The CDC and OSHA have rightly introduced new guidelines to protect the public from potential COVID-19 transmission. These new guidelines particularly affect dentistry as we work in the area of the body most related to the viral transmission. These new guidelines and requirements require use of more advanced gear than is usually necessary, such as N95 masks, additional gowns and face protection. All of this supplemental protective equipment, in addition to physical changes we've made to the office to protect you and our office team, are greatly increasing our operating costs.

In order for us to operate safely, and remain financially stable, for the time being we are now adding a "PPE fee" for many appointments/procedures. This $25 fee helps us to purchase the equipment we need (much of which has increased in cost by 1000% in the past 3 months), without having to raise our fees across the board.

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@Linkat,

but the funny thing I no longer go to this dentist. I guess I am still on their mailing list.

A few years ago they informed me via mail that they were no longer taking our insurance. Now I can go out of the network it just costs me more. So I did a little research and found another local dentist that will take my insurance and was rated very high by other patients. I asked my kids and not knowing they both disliked the dental hygienists there. At the time I was seeing a different dentist as he was closer to where I lived before and still on my route when traveling from work to home so I didn't change him.

Long story short - I moved the kids and they loved this dental office - you go in and they greet you right away and welcome you - they make it seem like they are so happy you are with them. Any way my dentist retired and he had someone else transition in - she never sent me a letter or notification of my 6 month appointment so I decided hey switch with my kids - so yeah we are all going to a different dentist now.

As an aside they did not send anything about higher costs - oh and my kids dentist tried to get them back. I guess so many people started moving because they didn't take this insurance - they were calling back saying they would take it again.

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@Linkat,

When costs go up prices go up one way or the other. This is related to the Uber thread.

For some reason customers prefer hidden costs, a dentist that secretly raises fee to recoup the lost income will be rewarded. A dentist that is honest about rising costs is penalized.

The problem is that customers aren't rational. I don't mind the fee, my only concern is whether this impacts how much my insurance covers.

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Think restaurants won’t have to raise prices?
Cocktail bartender or pre-packaged drinks delivered to table.
One person to take the order
One person to expedite the food from kitchen
Bus person to handle clearing dishes during meal.
One person to sanitize the table, chairs, booth or other seating.
One person to handle cash or credit card.
Disposable menus, silverware sanitized and wrapped, or pre packaged , plates, cups, prepackaged.
Food costS have already gone up, along with takeout containers

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When I get take out these days, I generally give a 25% tip or more. I also talk to the workers there... it seems like most people are being very supportive (at least in my neighborhood).

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@maxdancona,

Yes I agree. One of our favorite local restaurants had set up take out where they bring to the car. When You get there you Text them and they bring it out and put it in the back seat to avoid as much contact as possible.

When we called to order they asked if we wanted to give a tip ... they were asking customers if they could afford it to give 25 percent as they were giving most of the tips to the workers that weren’t working currently.

So yeah we gave more. And I have been to all these places... some refuse tips like office max when I did curbside.

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@Linkat,

I remember that I've got a letter from my dentist's a couple of weeks ago, reminding me of the half-year check-up and that they are open.

I looked at their website:

Quote:

Dear patients!
We too must do our part to contain the COVID 19 pandemic and protect you and our employees.

In order to secure resources, we are reducing the number of patients and practice hours.
We are aware of our responsibility towards our patients and continue to be there for you:

Monday to Friday from 8 to 18 h [instead of 7 to 20 h]

Since most is paid by the statuary health insurance, dentists here would have a lot of trouble if they'd introduce such a fee.

When I looked upt the Corona-related website of our Westphalian Association of Statutory Health Insurance Dentists, there was noted that "dental teams are subject to strict hygiene regulations in Germany, which contribute to a correspondingly high level of protection in the practices, regardless of the current situation".

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I know some were wondering why a dentist would need to charge more and/or have more in place for COVID-19 - shouldn't they already be prepared - seems other people must have been questioning so they sent a follow up email. In it they gave a link to explain it in more details

he link to this recent article in the Washington Post may more completely outline what dentistry specifically is having to do to keep patients safe. https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/amid-coronavirus-concerns-dentists-face-a-fraught-road-to-reopening/2020/05/28/187f5e30-9909-11ea-ac72-3841fcc9b35f_story.html

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@Linkat,

Quote:

I know some were wondering why a dentist would need to charge more and/or have more in place for COVID-19 - shouldn't they already be prepared

Isn't that the same as saying they should have charged you more before the current epidemic?

Maybe the problem is that their fees were too low all along to cover the costs of preparing for an epidemic.

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So the dentist I now go to - sent me a text and an email this weekend. Apparently I am part of the first week of dental appointments - part of phase 2. No mention whatsoever about an additional fee.

I just got off the phone with them as they need to do a prescreening and go over what has changed. Just letting me know what I need to do when I get there, explain there are some risks due covid as it would be for any time going out in public and so forth and to ask some questions to make them comfortable I have no symptoms.

So I am good to go - I was deciding whether to cancel or not - but if I do I will not get another appointment for 5 months - as they need to do catch up. Fully understand. So I will give it go!

Let you know how it is.

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So I went to the dentist on the first day they were able to see people.

Had my "cleaning." Well they were still getting out the kinks on following protocol. How knowledgeable do you think dentist are in this? Meaning the "real" dangers of covid? Reason I am asking is - although they were following protocols - the vibe I got from them was - they felt much of it was unnecessary - more of a feel in how they answered questions and reactions.

Another thing - they cannot polish your teeth due to covid guidelines - there was no spit sink - not allowed. She handed me instead a little cup with mouth rinse in it - I got to rinse my mouth but then I had to spit back into the little cup after they cleaned my teeth. Didn't take nearly as long.

Now they did have air purifiers in all rooms and a face shield, but everything else seemed the same (well less chairs in the waiting area - could not come in earlier than 5 minutes prior to your appointment, but almost everything else seemed the same.

Not sure why that other dentist had to add that additional fee especially since they were not polishing teeth so I would guess the difference between any extra items and the teeth polishing would cancel each other out.

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