Here are 12 dental insurance coverage and legislation updates from the last month:
1. Several states facing budget shortfalls are considering rolling back adult Medicaid coverage and implementing coverage caps.
2. U.S. Reps. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., and Herb Conaway, D-N.J., introduced a bill that would uphold state regulations for self-funded dental plans.
3. The U.S. Government Accountability Office released a report March 9 examining market shares of dental and vision insurers, along with the impact of vertical integration.
4. The Hands Off Kids Health coalition delivered more than 6,000 petitions urging California Governor Gavin Newsom to protect Medi-Cal dental funding.
5. The New York State Dental Association is advocating for the state to create a dental loss ratio for dental insurers.
6. Principal Financial Group, a provider of dental benefits, entered into a definitive agreement with Southland Benefit Solutions to acquire DentaNet, the largest dental network in Alabama.
7. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., introduced a bill that would use revenue from a wealth tax to reverse Medicaid cuts and expand dental coverage under Medicare.
8. The California Dental Association sponsored two bills aimed at dental insurance reform.
9. The American Dental Association contacted dental insurance company Principal to get clarity on a new policy regarding periapical radiographs.
10. The Nevada Commissioner of Insurance adopted new regulations governing how insurers report data for standalone dental plans.
11. The Idaho Legislature introduced a bill that would require dental healthcare service plans to report their dental loss ratios.
12. Nearly 80% of dental practices reported an increase in claim denials or payer scrutiny over the past 12 months.
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