Ohio House Bill 367, introduced this week by Republican Rep. Anthony DeVitis (D-36), would increase OCSEA members' cost for dental. The union has been keeping a keen eye out for this bill since it would increase the cost of non-covered dental services. A mirroring dental bill was introduced in the Ohio Senate earlier this year. A bill increasing out-of-pocket costs for non-covered vision benefits is also on the table.
HB 367 would prevent benefit administrators, such as Delta Dental, from offering savings to enrollees, including OCSEA members, on non-covered services. The Dental Bill would have a direct impact on OCSEA members who get their dental benefits through the Union Benefits Trust.
In addition to negotiating fees for covered benefits, like fillings and cleanings, insurance companies currently have the right to negotiate lower prices on non-covered services, like laughing gas for children, for example.
If the bill passes, those agreements would not be permitted and insurance providers would no longer be allowed to negotiate cost-savings for services they don't cover. Ultimately, HB 367 would allow dentists to charge unlimited fees for non-covered services.
Read House Bill 367.
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