Government Relations
Legislators are now home until mid-September , so it is a perfect time to meet with your senator and representative ! Make an appointment with your lawmakers and invite them to the local diner for coffee and a donut . Consider having them speak at your next local or district dental society meeting . Or schedule a more formal meeting with them and their staff in the district office . You can meet anytime over the summer or during PDA ’ s Legislative Checkup Week , scheduled for September 7-10 , 2021 . Let us know when you have scheduled your meetings and we ’ ll send you all of the background information and talking points you ’ ll need to discuss PDA ’ s legislative priorities .
Assignment of Benefits
Assignment of benefits is PDA ’ s No . 1 priority this session , and we are changing up our strategy to pass it through the General Assembly . This legislation requires insurers to honor patients ’ request to directly assign their dental benefit to the dentist who renders care , even if the dentist is a non-participating provider .
Since Sen . Judy Ward agreed to sponsor this legislation on PDA ’ s behalf , PDA has worked hard to educate senators , particularly those who serve on the Banking and Insurance Committee , about how assignment of benefits legislation will help dentists and patients , and ultimately improve access to dental care . We ’ ve included language in the bill to address concerns expressed by many legislators about maintaining network adequacy and ensuring that patients are not “ surprised ” when non-participating providers balance bill for a procedure not fully covered by the patient ’ s insurance plan .
COVID-Related Immunity for Health Care Providers
Lawmakers in the House and Senate have introduced legislation that provide limited immunity protection for businesses and health care professionals who acted in good faith during the state of emergency .
Sens . Lisa Baker and Michelle Brooks introduced legislation that offers protections to health care providers , businesses and others due to the pandemic . Rep . Karen Boback introduced similar legislation in the House of Representations . These bills help protect health care professionals from the accusation of “ abandoning ” a patient when a state of emergency prevented them from providing care . It also helps protect providers who were unable to provide care or the manner of care they would typically provide due to lack of resources during the state of emergency .
PDA is part of a collective effort with other members of the Pennsylvania Provider Advocacy Coalition to pass legislation at the federal and / or state level . The coalition is comprised of representatives from dozens of health care , business and judicial reform organizations .
Telehealth
PDA is monitoring and responding to several telehealth bills that have so far been introduced this session . These bills regulate the practice of telehealth services and mandate insurance payment . Most recently , Sen . Elder Vogel reintroduced SB 705 in the spring .
Practically speaking , most insurers have already taken advantage of the fact that Pennsylvania does not have a law that expressly prohibits the practice of telehealth and they were already
JULY / AUGUST 2021 | PENNSYLVANIA DENTAL JOURNAL 7