California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation designed to improve requirements and transparency for dental plans.
The law goes into effect Jan. 1, 2025, and passed through the state Legislature without any "no" votes, according to an Oct. 9 news release from the California Dental Association.
Here are the three main provisions of the bill:
- Dental benefits plans are prohibited from denying claims related to a patient's pre-existing dental conditions.
- Dental benefits plans in the large group market are prohibited from imposing arbitrary waiting periods that prevent beneficiaries from accessing their full benefits.
- State regulatory agencies are required to review the premiums that dental plans charge to protect consumers from unreasonable or unjustified rates.
Mr. Newsom also signed a law requiring plans to disclose in multiple ways if they are state or federally regulated at the time of determining coverage earlier this year, which also goes into effect in 2025.