04/15/2000 09:20 AM House FIN

HOUSE BILL NO. 121                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act relating  to patients'  rights  under a  health                                                                   
     care insurance  plan or contract providing  coverage for                                                                   
     dental  care,  and  prohibiting   certain  practices  by                                                                   
     health care insurers relating to dental care."                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Con Bunde,  Sponsor  spoke in  support of  HB
.  He  noted  that the  legislation  no  longer  prohibits                                                                   
insurers  from reimbursing  a covered  person at a  different                                                                   
rate because of  the person's choice of dentist.  He observed                                                                   
that the legislation was introduced  to aid dentists to serve                                                                   
their  patients effectively.  He  maintained  that the  House                                                                   
Labor  and Commerce  Committee  version is  supported by  the                                                                   
parties  impacted   by  the   legislation.  The   legislation                                                                   
supports  consumers by  allowing  them the  right to  receive                                                                   
full  information   regarding  their  care   options  without                                                                   
fearing adverse  actions from  insurance companies.  The bill                                                                   
also  allows patients  to take  civil  action against  health                                                                   
care insurers to  enforce their rights and requires  a dental                                                                   
treatment plan  review or utilization review  to be conducted                                                                   
by a dentist.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
PATTI   SWENSON,   STAFF,   REPRESENTATIVE   BUNDE   provided                                                                   
information   on  the   legislation.  She   noted  that   the                                                                   
legislation  was  amended in  the  House Labor  and  Commerce                                                                   
Committee on page 2, line 8 -  13 to allow individuals to use                                                                   
a  dentist   outside   of  the   dental  preferred   provider                                                                   
organization.  The  language   was  added  to  satisfy  union                                                                   
opposition to the bill.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
In response  to a  question by  Representative Phillips,  Ms.                                                                   
Swenson  stated that  the  legislation  would apply  anywhere                                                                   
there is a dental preferred provider organization.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Representative   J.  Davies   asked   for  more   information                                                                   
regarding arbitration.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Swenson explained that insurance  companies have a formal                                                                   
system  of arbitration.  The  arbitration is  to  be a  final                                                                   
agreement. If  the parties  do not agree  a civil  action can                                                                   
take place. Representative Bunde  added that the arbitrator's                                                                   
decision is  the end of  the process.  Patients can go  on to                                                                   
sue.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Representative  J. Davies expressed  concern that there  be a                                                                   
time limit to  the arbitration. He asked if  arbitrators must                                                                   
act in a specified time period.   Ms. Swenson did not know if                                                                   
a time  limit exists,  but stressed  that it  would cost  the                                                                   
insurance company to continue the arbitration.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
DAVID  LOGAN,  DENTIST,  JUNEAU   spoke  in  support  of  the                                                                   
legislation as an advocate for  patients. He pointed out that                                                                   
dentists  do  not  receive  an   economic  benefit  from  the                                                                   
legislation. Each  company has a different  arbitration plan.                                                                   
Most plans do  not have a time specification.  He pointed out                                                                   
that   patients  would   have  rights   with  the   Insurance                                                                   
Commission to expedite the process.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Representative Foster  MOVED to report CSHB 121  (L&C) out of                                                                   
Committee with  the accompanying fiscal note.  There being NO                                                                   
OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CSHB  121  (L&C)  was REPORTED  out  of  Committee  with  "no                                                                   
recommendation" and  a zero fiscal note by  the Department of                                                                   
Community and Economic Development  and a zero fiscal note by                                                                   
the Department of Administration,  both published on 4/14/00.