Washington Dental Service, Washington state's largest provider of dental benefits, has introduced a reduced rate plan for small businesses with 10 to 99 enrolled employees.
The new pooled rate plan goes into effect for new policies beginning October 1, 2011. Nearly 30,000 businesses fall into this category statewide, according to the company.
"We are responding to feedback from small business owners, and the brokers that represent them, that we need to make dental care more affordable," stated Jim Dwyer, president and CEO of Washington Dental Service, a Delta Dental affiliate, in a press release. "As a not-for-profit organization, our mission is to promote oral health and ensure that quality dental care is available. By working aggressively to reduce administrative and claims costs, we are now able to offer the most comprehensive plans in the market while making coverage more accessible for thousands of small businesses."
Washington Dental Service offers the largest network of contracted and credentialed dentists in the state, with nearly 4,000 providers.
"Nearly 10 million people have lost their dental benefits nationwide in the last two years," Dwyer said. "That number does not include unemployed workers, but simply people whose employers could no longer afford to offer this greatly valued benefit."
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