Rhode Island bill examined

Dental leaders admire the direct approach and simplicity of the Rhode Island bill.

“Rhode Island can serve as a model for other states,” said Dr. Ronald L. Tankersley, ADA president-elect. “They introduced a simple bill that gets straight to the point.”

Senate Bill 0390 and House Bill 5454 on contracts with providers for dental services read: 聽

(a) No contract between a dental plan of a health care entity and a dentist for the provision of services to patients may require that a dentist provide services to its subscribers at a fee set by the health care entity unless said services are covered services under the applicable subscriber agreement. “Covered services,” as used herein, means services reimbursable under the applicable subscriber agreement, subject to such contractual limitations on subscriber benefits as may apply, including, for example, deductibles, waiting period or frequency limitations.

(b) For the purposes of this section “dental plan” shall include any policy of insurance which is issued by a health care entity which provides for coverage of dental services not in connection with a medical plan.