DAN Insurance not accepted at some chambers

[pgdive]

Has everyone already seen this?

Recompression Chamber Network To Stop Accepting DAN Insurance

Important information for dive travelers relating to Chamber coverage and protection.

The Recompression chamber network branded SSS (Sub-aquatic Safety Services), in service in a dozen popular dive destinations worldwide (and in most cases the only chamber in a several hundred mile radius), has been forced to notify the public that certain facilities in some destinations effective immediately, and others progressively so, will NO longer accept the Divers Alert Network (DAN) AMERICA insurance as a payment method for hyperbaric chamber and medical services.


It is hard enough to maintain the facilities available 24/7 with optimal technical, administrative and operational readiness, but with the underpayment and non-payment of bills, some over a year old by DAN America; the chambers feel obligated to the diving public to remain open. To that end the chambers can no longer tolerate unpaid services, and since the only insurer in the world who has refused to settle our bills is DAN America, thus some SSS chambers have no other choice but to ask DAN America patients to pay for services when rendered and file the claims themselves with DAN America for any possible reimbursement.

Please note that this action applies only to DAN AMERICA. It does not apply to DAN Europe, DAN Southern Africa, DAN Southeast Asia-Pacific or DAN Japan.

Divers are advised to check with their insurance carrier prior to travel to secure verification of coverage.


For inquiries, please contact cdammert@medicalhyperbarics.com

Taken from http://www.divenewswire.com/NewsITems.aspx?newsID=7773

Paul

 

[lisa_j]

http://diversalertnetwork.com/news/article.asp?newsid=709

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

There is a lengthy conversation ... with a lot of good info ... taking place elsewhere on ScubaBoard ...

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=124953

My understanding is that this dispute involves only a couple of chambers owned by an affiliate of SSS. According to public statements posted on the SSS website ... and also widely distributed on the Internet ... SSS (the parent organization) is not involved in the dispute. This issue essentially boils down to a disagreement between one entepreneur and an insurance company.

In my opinion, this issue should not have been taken to the "Court of Internet Opinion". I think it's a pretty unethical way to do business ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[billtodive]

NQGratefulDiver... you uses unethical and business in the same sentence. hmmm
btw, From the looks of the weather channel, divers in your neck of the woods will soon be able to do a shore entry from their front door if this keeps up.........

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

NQGratefulDiver... you uses unethical and business in the same sentence. hmmm
btw, From the looks of the weather channel, divers in your neck of the woods will soon be able to do a shore entry from their front door if this keeps up.........

Yep, last day without rain was Dec. 19th ... we only have 15 days to go to beat Noah's record. The five-day forecast is for more rain ... :11:

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[tjmills]

Shame on both Dan and SSS for pushing this out and not resolving between the 2 of them. I hate to say it but it will certainly affect where I buy my insurance next year. Even IF DAN is right, this impact could be quite a problem if you were need it at one of these chambers. I appreciate DAN for trying to maintain the costs and none of us know how "excessive" the charges were from this individual but holding Divers hostage is uncomprehesable... Isn't that what we pay the insurance for?

Take this to a court to decide if you can't come to an agreement. Don't hold your patients for ransom.

 

[proyce]

TJ - It is my understanding that this dispute is in court.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Shame on both Dan and SSS for pushing this out and not resolving between the 2 of them. I hate to say it but it will certainly affect where I buy my insurance next year. Even IF DAN is right, this impact could be quite a problem if you were need it at one of these chambers. I appreciate DAN for trying to maintain the costs and none of us know how "excessive" the charges were from this individual but holding Divers hostage is uncomprehesable... Isn't that what we pay the insurance for?

Take this to a court to decide if you can't come to an agreement. Don't hold your patients for ransom.

No shame to DAN ... they are not the ones who took this public.

Your responce is EXACTLY what Mr. Mauricio had hoped for by posting this stuff on the Internet. By doing what you suggest, you are enabling the unethical behavior of this man to force DAN to his position of charging a higher price for his services.

My suggestion is to make your decisions based on other factors ... in other words, ignore this BS. Allowing yourself to get sucked into this dispute will only encourage others to attempt similar behavior.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Diver0001]

Shame on both Dan and SSS for pushing this out and not resolving between the 2 of them. I hate to say it but it will certainly affect where I buy my insurance next year. Even IF DAN is right, this impact could be quite a problem if you were need it at one of these chambers. I appreciate DAN for trying to maintain the costs and none of us know how "excessive" the charges were from this individual but holding Divers hostage is uncomprehesable... Isn't that what we pay the insurance for?

Take this to a court to decide if you can't come to an agreement. Don't hold your patients for ransom.

These kinds of disputes get played out in the media all the time in Holland.

Doctors claim that insurance agencies are bullying them into offering sub-standard treatment and/or prescribing sub-standard medications. Insurance agencies claim that doctors are not cost aware enough or open enough to alternatives. It's on the TV and radio all the time. Endless "interviews", endless "discussion" (which, believe me, the Dutch excel at...)

For what it's worth, I think it's good on the whole to have public debates about this. The Dutch debate difficult things like this publicly all the time (and amazingly without a lot of animosity) and as a result people understand the issues and the difficult balancing act involved. The other side effect of this is that all parties tend to be a little more balanced in their approach. Where DAN uses the word "dispute", a Dutch insurance company would use the world "disagreement". There is a big difference in nuance there....

R..

 

[redacted]

No shame to DAN ... they are not the ones who took this public.
)

If this were the only report of a "problem" with DAN, I would tend to agree. But this on top of the incident reported by Christi last year makes me uncomfortable. Coupled with a lack of reported incidents involving other providers, I'm worried that DAN may just be trying to minimize payments more than others. I've got a couple months before I have to renew to think about it.