Fla. moves forward with fee-capping bill

A Florida House subcommittee approved a bill on March 15 that would prevent insurance companies from setting fee caps on dental procedures not included in patients' policies, according to a report by WCTV.

A similar measure has already been passed by a Florida Senate committee.

Insurers, including Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida and Humana, claim that they are protecting consumers who would otherwise forgo procedures due to high prices, the article stated. But dentists, and the Florida Dental Association, insist they are being forced by insurance companies to charge discounted rates and that the difference comes out of their pocket, WCTV noted.

Larry Nissen, president of the Florida Dental Association, told WCTV that dentists have been forced into a "take it or leave it" scenario with regard to contracts with noncovered, discounted procedure provisions. Foregoing the contracts would potentially lead to the loss of large numbers of patients, he said.