nhs penalty charge

[rick52]

I have just received an nhs penalty charge notice. I had an HC3 cert for help with costs, this stated the Max I could pay was £86. But did not state what I would have to pay. I presented this to the dentist and had some treatment, they then presented me with a bill for £19.56, which I paid. Now I have been told by NHS that I should have paid £56.30, and need to repay the £36.74 plus £100 penalty. As the dental surgery presented me with the bill for £19.56 how was I to know they got that wrong? My complaint is that as I only paid what I was asked for, after presenting the HC3 certificate, Why should I be liable to a Penalty charge of £100 for the surgeries error. Happy to pay the £36.74, if they made that mistake, but I didn't try to evade paying whatever fee my cert would entitle me to.

[enaid]

Hi, all you can do is appeal info on how is on the bottom link, as far as I know there are 3 bands for NHS dental charges as set out below, these are this years charges so yours would have been different but not that much. You will just have to say it as it is I think on appeal, that the surgery gave you a bill and you paid it in good faith not knowing exactly which band your treatment came under. Good luck been there with my OH when he claimed treatment while on ESA the wrong ESA to claim help with dentists costs I may add and we ended up paying .

• Emergency dental treatment – £20.60
  This covers emergency care in a primary care NHS dental practice such as pain relief or a temporary filling.
• Band 1 course of treatment – £20.60
  This covers an examination, diagnosis (including X-rays), advice on how to prevent future problems, a scale and polish if clinically needed, and preventative care such as the application of fluoride varnish or fissure sealant if appropriate.
• Band 2 course of treatment – £56.30
  This covers everything listed in Band 1 above, plus any further treatment such as fillings, root canal work or removal of teeth but not more complex items covered by Band 3.
• Band 3 course of treatment – £244.30
  This covers everything listed in Bands 1 and 2 above, plus crowns, dentures, bridges and other laboratory work.

[rick52]

Thanks for that...I can only assume that when the dentists entered my HC3 details, it defaulted to my previous HC3 award which could have been Band 2 at old rate?
Anyway, I do wonder which system arrived at the £19.56 figure....presumably the surgery entered my HC3 details onto their system, but how did the fee they charged get generated? I can only imagine some distant NHS system generated that fee, in which case they need to charge themselves the penalty!!

[enaid]

I presumed the dentist charged you rate 1 as is for a check up and very minimal treatment as it states above, therefore if you had a filling or root canal say you should have paid band 2 which as states id £56.30 looks to me like the person who filled in the claim form at the dentist made a mistake filling in the form or didn't pick up what treatment you had actually had. I would give the dentist a ring see what they have to say then appeal.

[Phaeton]

Just as a matter of interest looking at the bands which one did it fall into, just wondering if you had work to Band 1 but dentist claimed Band 2