An Act relative to dental insurance assignment of benefits

This bill creates a new chapter in Massachusetts law to allow individuals with dental insurance to direct their benefits payments directly to a dentist who is not part of the insurer's network. Under the new rules, patients can sign a written form authorizing the insurance company to pay a non-network dentist who meets the insurer's credentialing standards, provided the payment amount is at least equal to what the insurer pays to its own participating dentists. The legislation applies to most standard dental plans but explicitly excludes coverage for specific types of policies such as disability income, accident-only plans, and Medicare supplements. Additionally, the bill permits insurers to review the specific patient records of the dentist receiving the payment to verify that the services were actually rendered.