Santucci introduces legislation to stop unethical insurance practices

COLUMBUS – State Representative Nick Santucci (R- Howland Twp.) has introduced legislation to end the practice of artificial capping of fees by insurance companies in the dental industry. 

Currently, insurance providers are capping dentist’s fees for service that are not even covered as a benefit to the patient. 

“Extending fee limitations to services the insurer doesn’t value enough to cover as a benefit for enrollees is fundamentally unfair,” said Santucci. “This arbitrary fee structure interferes with the doctor-patient relationship and could event result in providers shifting costs to patients without insurance coverage.”

Santucci’s legislation will allow dentists to negotiate their fees for services with patients, if the service is not covered by the patient’s insurer and a dentists must provide an estimated cost of each dental service prior to the work being done.

The legislation is strongly supported by the Ohio Dental Association and has not been assigned to a House committee. All standing committees can watched live on the Ohio Channel.