Maryland recently enacted a law that expands assignment of benefits protections for patients and out-of-network dentists.
HB 1091 bars insurers, including health insurers and dental plan organizations, from prohibiting an assignment of benefits to a dentist or refusing to directly reimburse a non-preferred dentist under an assignment of benefits.
An insurer or dental plan organization can only refuse to directly reimburse a non-preferred provider under an assignment of benefits for specific reasons, including if the insurer receives notice of the assignment of benefits after it has paid the benefits to the patient or if the patient withdraws the assignment of benefits before the insurer pays the provider.
The law goes into effect Jan. 1.
