Iowa has joined the list of states that are considering legislation to prevent insurance companies from offering discounts on uncovered dental procedures.
A bill passed by the Iowa House prohibits insurance companies from setting prices for services they don't cover, according to a news story in the Des Moines Register. The House this week approved the bill with a 93-1 vote, and a state Senate committee will now begin studying the bill further, the story stated.
Insurance industry lobbyists have raised concerns that this legislation could prevent insurance companies from limiting what Iowans pay out of pocket for certain services, while lobbyists for dentists argue that it would merely prohibit insurance companies from setting prices for services they don't cover, according to the story.
While insurance firms should be able to establish prices for covered services, Delta Dental is trying to dictate what a dentist can charge for services a plan won't cover -- such as teeth whitening, a root canal, or braces, Mike Heller, a lobbyist who represents the Iowa Dental Association, told the Des Moines Register.
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