Juneau -- The Alaska Senate Wednesday passed House Bill 121, sponsored by Representative Con Bunde (R-Anchorage).

HB 121 sets out the rights of dental health care consumers. Specifically, the bill would:

• allow consumers to choose any dentist they wish to see including a specialist;
• allow insurers to reimburse a covered person at a different rate if a dentist is not a member of the client's (PPO);
• give covered people the right to receive full information regarding their care options without fearing adverse actions from insurance companies;
• allows patients to take civil action against health care insurers to enforce their rights; and
• require any dental treatment plan review or utilization review to be conducted by a dentist.

"The goal here is to provide patients with the best dental care possible. If it is fair to allow insurance companies to tell patients who will perform their dental care, then it is only fair to tell patients what their rights are in that regard," Bunde said. "HB 121 sets those rights into law so all parties involved can know where they stand."

HB 121 passed the Senate unanimously.

Attachments:

• Sponsor Statement

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