New California law requires dental insurers to pay out-of-network dentists directly
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 gain direct reimbursement from out-of-network claims starting January 1 under AB 1629, reducing the risk of uncollected patient balances and improving cash flow for offices that treat privately insured patients.
Key points
- Governor Newsom signed California Assembly Bill 1629, requiring dental plans to pay out-of-network dentists directly under an assignment of benefits.
- Plans must inform patients of their dentist’s network status and possible out-of-pocket costs before treatment begins.
- Delta Dental ERISA plans remain exempt because federal ERISA rules preempt state insurance mandates.
- California Dental Association sponsored AB 1629 as the twelfth bill under its Fix Our Dental Insurance campaign to improve payment transparency.
Who should care
Read the original on Media: Dental policy & coverage
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