CRITICALRegulatoryTier 1
Calif. law requires dental plans to honor assignment of benefits
Sourcedrbicuspid.comTier 1Hard News
Originally at news.google.com
Summary & scoring by The Bell Brief (Dr. Jennifer Bell) using the Drill-Down Protocol (Drill-Down Score) — not the original publisher.
Why it matters for dental
California dental practices and DSOs can now require assignment of benefits on every claim, protecting cash flow and reducing patient balance collections; owners and billing teams should update intake forms and payer contracts immediately.
Key points
- California statute mandates that dental plans must honor assignment of benefits when a patient signs the assignment.
- Applies to all dental insurance products regulated by the state, including commercial, exchange, and employer-sponsored plans.
- Eliminates the prior practice of insurers sending payment directly to patients when assignment is on file.
- Non-compliance exposes payers to regulatory penalties; providers gain statutory right to enforce direct payment.
Who should care
OwnerDSOStaff
Read the original on DrBicuspid
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