The American Dental Association, along with two individual dentists, are claiming Delta Dental violated antitrust laws and engaged in anticompetitive conduct, according to a lawsuit filed Nov. 26.
The complaint alleges Delta Dental designated certain areas for operation and divided the U.S. market to restrict competition and reduce reimbursement rates for dentists.
"Its harm is reflected in suppression of compensation below levels that would prevail in a competitive marketplace to dentists who are members of the Delta Dental provider network, as well as in the value and choices of dental care available to patients who are subscribers to the dental insurance provided by Delta Dental," the lawsuit alleges.
Delta Dental Plans Association, its affiliated national entities and 39 independent Delta Dental companies are named in the lawsuit.
Other dentists have also filed class-action lawsuits against Delta, alleging antitrust violations, according to a Nov. 26 ADA news release. The Nov. 26 complaint asks the court to certify the case as a class action lawsuit, a ruling that will be made in the coming months.