Georgia has become the latest state to implement legislation prohibiting insurance companies from setting fees for dental services they do not cover.
Gov. Nathan Deal signed HB 189 (Non-Covered Dental Services Act) into law on May 12, making Georgia the 22nd U.S. state to pass this sort of legislation, according to the Georgia Dental Association.
"To our knowledge, however, Georgia is the first state to have language which stops insurance companies from placing wording on a patient Explanation of Benefits form that directly or indirectly implies that a dentist should continue to provide a discount on Non-Covered Services," the association said in a statement.
HB 189 provides that "no contract or agreement between a dental insurer or network and a dentist shall require the dentist to accept an amount for dental care services that are not covered dental services under a dental benefit plan." In addition, "no dental insurer shall publish or otherwise communicate that discounts are available for noncovered dental services."
