I plan to reintroduce Senate Bill 519 from the 2023-24 session. This legislation directs insurance companies to pay a dentist directly for services rendered to a patient. This solution is known as “assignment of benefits.”

Twenty-three other states have enacted similar legislation giving patients the right to choose their providers based on their preference, even if the dentist does not participate within the patient’s insurance plan.

The bill specifically allows a patient to authorize payment of insurance benefits directly to the dental service provider in accordance with the provisions of their insurance policy. Payment to the dental service provider from the insurer may not exceed the amount that the insurer would otherwise have paid without the assignment of payment.

Without assignment of benefits, patients are forced to pay for the full amount of the dental service up front – which can be cost-prohibitive – or the dentist may risk performing a service without guarantee of payment. Assignment of benefits remedies this situation for all parties and thus improves access to care.

Co-sponsors of Senate Bill 519 were Senators Bartolotta, Laughlin, Miller, Pennycuick and Phillips-Hill. Please join me in co-sponsoring this important legislation.