SECTION 1.The General Laws are hereby amended by inserting after chapter 176W the following chapter:-

Chapter 176X

Dental Benefit Plans

Section 1. As used in this chapter the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-

“Carrier”, any insurer licensed or otherwise authorized to transact accident and health insurance under chapter 175, non-profit medical service corporation under chapter 176B; a dental service corporation organized under chapter 176E, health maintenance organization organized under chapter 176G, or preferred provider arrangement organized under chapter 176I offering dental benefit plans in the commonwealth.

“Commissioner”, the commissioner of the division of insurance.

“Connector”, the commonwealth health insurance connector, established by chapter 176Q.

“Dental benefit plans”, any stand-alone dental plan that covers oral surgical care, services, procedures or benefits covered by any individual, general, blanket or group policy of health, accident and sickness insurance issued by an insurer licensed or otherwise authorized to transact accident and health insurance under chapter 175; any oral surgical care, services, procedures or benefits covered by a stand-alone individual or group dental medical service plan issued by a non-profit medical service corporation under chapter 176B; any oral surgical care, services, procedures or benefits covered by a stand-alone individual or group dental service plan issued by a dental service corporation organized under chapter 176E; any oral surgical care, services, procedures or benefits covered by a stand-alone individual or group dental health maintenance contract issued by a health maintenance organization organized under chapter 176G; or any oral surgical care, services, procedures or benefits covered by a stand-alone individual or group preferred provider dental plan issued by a preferred provider arrangement organized under chapter 176I.

“Self-insured customer”, a self-insured group for which a carrier provides administrative services.

“Self-insured group”, a self-insured or self-funded employer group health plan.

“Third-party administrator”, a person who, on behalf of a dental insurer or purchaser of dental benefits, receives or collects charges, contributions or premiums for, or adjusts or settles claims on or for residents of the commonwealth.               

SECTION 2. Dental insurance assignment of benefits. Dental benefit plans as defined in section 1 shall allow, as a provision in a group or individual policy, contract or health benefit plan for coverage of dental services, any person insured by such entity to direct, in writing, that benefits from a health benefit plan, policy or contract, be paid directly to a dental care provider who has not contracted with the entity to provide dental services to persons covered by the entity but otherwise meets the credentialing criteria of the entity. If written direction to pay is executed and written notice of the direction to pay is provided to such entity, the insuring entity shall pay the benefits directly to the dental care provider. Any efforts to modify the amount of benefits paid directly to the dental care provider under this section may include a reduction in benefits paid of no more than five percent (5%) less than the usual and customary rates paid to participating dentists. The entity paying the dentist, pursuant to a direction to pay duly executed by the subscriber, shall have the right to review the records of the dentist receiving such payment that relate exclusively to that particular subscriber/patient to determine that the service in question was rendered. Provided, however, this section shall not apply to insurance coverage providing benefits for: (1) hospital confinement indemnity; (2) disability income; (3) accident only; (4) long-term care; (5) Medicare supplement; (6) limited benefit health; (7) specified disease indemnity; (8) sickness or bodily injury or death by accident or both; and (9) other limited benefit policies.