HC3 penalty by NHSBSA because dentist didnt charge me enough

DesignerPat

I got an HC3 certificate in August 2023. I was having two crowns fitted and root canal work done. The Dentist asked me to pay £116.53 , which I duly did.

In January I got a penalty letter from NHSBSA because I had not paid the corect amount which should have been £187.23, the amount on my HC3 for tier three work ( the cap)

In an email to NHSBSA the dentist addmitted that they had not asked enough and got the charge to me wrong.

The NHSBSA though has insisted that its my fault, I should have known what the correct charge for treatment was, therefore I am fined £100.

I have raised three challenges to this penalty. My arguemnet being that 

1. I had no idea what the charge was, and relied on my dentist to ask the correct amount 

2. that the course of treatment has not ended ( I need detal hospital treatment before a tooth can be capped, a year on, i am still waiting)

During the second challenge, whithout warning an additional £50 penalty was added. No notice.

My dentist has denied any wrong doing, and that I must pay the fine. Ive got a tooth with a temporary filling that I have no idea when it will be completed.

Today, 21-06-2024 I must pay the fine or balifs will come to my house.

Every individual I have spoken to at the NHSBSA has been rude, unhelpful and obsessed with the fine. One guy I spoke to two months ago repeated the statement  _ pay the penalty over and over.

Do i really live in a country where a Dentist makes a mistake, but the patient must pay a fine?

Anyone any concrete thoughts

la531983

DesignerPat said:

Today, 21-06-2024 I must pay the fine or balifs will come to my house.

Anyone coming to your house before a CCJ and High Court writ is issued has as much power to enter your house and/or seize goods as the milkman does.

marcia_

DesignerPat said:

I got an HC3 certificate in August 2023. I was having two crowns fitted and root canal work done. The Dentist asked me to pay £116.53 , which I duly did.

In January I got a penalty letter from NHSBSA because I had not paid the corect amount which should have been £187.23, the amount on my HC3 for tier three work ( the cap)

In an email to NHSBSA the dentist addmitted that they had not asked enough and got the charge to me wrong.

The NHSBSA though has insisted that its my fault, I should have known what the correct charge for treatment was, therefore I am fined £100.

I have raised three challenges to this penalty. My arguemnet being that 

1. I had no idea what the charge was, and relied on my dentist to ask the correct amount 

2. that the course of treatment has not ended ( I need detal hospital treatment before a tooth can be capped, a year on, i am still waiting)

During the second challenge, whithout warning an additional £50 penalty was added. No notice.

My dentist has denied any wrong doing, and that I must pay the fine. Ive got a tooth with a temporary filling that I have no idea when it will be completed.

Today, 21-06-2024 I must pay the fine or balifs will come to my house.

Every individual I have spoken to at the NHSBSA has been rude, unhelpful and obsessed with the fine. One guy I spoke to two months ago repeated the statement  _ pay the penalty over and over.

Do i really live in a country where a Dentist makes a mistake, but the patient must pay a fine?

Anyone any concrete thoughts

 You need to find their complaints procedure and follow it. The people who answer the phone are only interested in the fine a complaint should look at it and your objection properly. 

sheramber

https://respond-to-your-letter.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/start

marcia_

Complaints policy https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/contact-nhs-help-health-costs

Danien

Can I ask whether the dentist gets any part of the fine? Asking as I was curious what happens to the money if it is paid.

prowla

Do you have the invoice for the amount you paid?

marcia_

Danien said:

Can I ask whether the dentist gets any part of the fine? Asking as I was curious what happens to the money if it is paid.

No they do not. Its basically another tax that funds government services same as prescription charges 

Murphybear

I would normally suggest asking your MP to help but that could take quite a while.  Our MP is brilliant at dealing with the establishment 

sheramber

Murphybear said:

I would normally suggest asking your MP to help but that could take quite a while.  Our MP is brilliant at dealing with the establishment 

No MP's until after the General Election.