As state legislative sessions wind down, dental insurance reform continues to be a hot issue in the Capitol.  Last week Pennsylvania Governor Shapiro signed into law a bill prohibiting insurers from requiring providers to accept credit cards as payment for services.  Missouri amended its virtual credit card and assignment of benefits law to strengthen them.  Illinois also passed virtual credit card and prior authorization laws.  Florida, Arizona, New Jersey and Iowa also passed virtual credit card legislation.

Maryland passed legislation to improve prior authorization.  Tennessee passed a bill on virtual credit cards and on bundling and downcoding.  Indiana passed an assignment of benefits and third-party networking leasing bill.  Wisconsin also passed an assignment of benefits law.

Louisiana, Virginia and Rhode Island passed laws requiring insurers to report their dental loss ratios.  These laws do not have the required percentages and do not force insurers to return excess premiums to policyholders like was passed in Massachusetts.

Impact on General Dentistry: Insurance reform will continue to be a main focus of AGD’s advocacy at the state level going into the 2025 session.  MLR, virtual credit cards, downcoding and bundling, assignment of benefits, third party network leasing and other insurance issues help the general dentist in their relationship with insurers.