Jul 19, 2018
A bill that calls for more value and transparency in dental plans is moving swiftly through the Legislature. Senate Bill 1008 (Skinner, D-Berkeley) passed the Senate with bipartisan support and was amended in the Assembly. The bill, which is sponsored by the California Dental Association, would apply to plan years beginning in 2020. Dental carriers would have to make standardized disclosures for all dental benefit plans regarding the following:
- The annual overall plan deductible.
- The annual benefit limit.
- Coverage for preventive and diagnostic services, basic services, major services, and orthodontia services.
- Dental plan reimbursement levels, including estimated enrollee cost share.
- Waiting periods
The bill builds off A.B. 1962, which requires dental plans to make public annual disclosures about how they spend patient premium dollars. The average dental-loss ratio was 61% in California from 2014 to 2015 compared to 76% nationwide.
Contact your LISI Regional Sales Manager to learn more.
