Business ProfileforLiberty Dental Plan

My ******** health insurance is provided through primary provider ****** Permanente (Mid-Atlantic Area) with a dental insurance component covered by a ****** Permanente third-party, Liberty Dental Plan. According to the ****** coverage, routine dental care, x-rays, fillings, and crowns are covered with a specified co-pay. On 2/7/2024 I saw a dentist for a routine examination and, upon describing some pain, was advised that I needed crowns on two teeth. I had provided my ****** and Liberty insurance ID cards in advance and the dentist confirmed coverage for the advised procedure. The dentist submitted the claim and Liberty eventually paid for the initial visit. On 2/9/2024 I returned for the first of two subsequent visits to prepare and fit two crowns. I paid my co-pay at the time of service. The dentist then submitted the second insurance claim for the remainder. Liberty Dental Plan denied the claim and refused to pay for the covered dental procedure; their denial is based on "... service requires prior approval." The dentist and this consumer were unaware of this prior approval requirement, not provided by ****** Permanente or Liberty (nor written on the Liberty ID card). If known, it certainly would have impeded urgently needed dental work. We were acting in good faith that ****** and its subcontracted provider Liberty would pay the contracted amount for services rendered minus co-pay deductable. Obviously I cannot undo the dental work at this point. I seek ******/Liberty Dental Plan to allow the claim and pay the dentist as anticipated.