The American Association of Endodontists has joined other organizations supporting a November ballot initiative in Massachusetts that would ask voters if the state should establish a medical loss ratio for dental payers.
If passed, dental insurance companies would be required to spend at least 83 percent of premium dollars on dental services or refund the difference to patients, preventing them from spending that money on executive salaries or administrative costs. The medical loss ratio is already in place for medical insurers in the state.
The measure would also require dental insurers to disclose projected medical loss ratio, file the following year's group product base rates by July and release other specific financial information. It also authorizes the Massachusetts Division of Insurance commissioner to approve or disapprove of product rates.
"Efforts such as the Massachusetts ballot initiative and MLR reform will help ensure patient dollars go to patient care," said Stefan Zweig, DDS, AAE president, in a Sept. 28 news release. "This can serve as an impetus to improve dental access to care and health equity in the state of Massachusetts."
The Massachusetts Dental Society and the American Dental Association also endorsed the initiative, with the latter donating $5 million toward the measure.