Tips for use of policies:

Medicare supplement some major insurers are adding a small benefit to their Medicare patient plans. They can be identified by a code on the back of the patient’s medical ID card. This is not found on the Medicare patient card, and no Medicare claim is filed. The benefits are minimal, but may provide some relief for a senior on a fixed income. The covered benefits on these plans one prophylaxis, one periodic exam, 2 bitewings, some even have surface filling in a posterior tooth in a 12 mth. Period.  Understanding that a Medicare patient has secondary insurance, please do not let that slide thru. You will be surprised on how to incorporate the secondary payments into your treatment plans.

June 1, 2012 -- New Jersey and Connecticut are the latest states to be hit with reductions in reimbursements by Delta Dental within the last year.

Delta Dental announced it would to cut payments to New Jersey and Connecticut dentists by 4% to 5% in 2013. Delta cut reimbursement rates for Idaho and Washington dentists last year.

The cuts will take effect January 1, 2013, for dentists in Delta Dental's Premier fee-for-service network and will be based on ZIP codes, according to letters sent to New Jersey and Connecticut dentists.

The cuts will enable Delta Dental to remain competitive against large insurance companies such as Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Connecticut, Cigna, Metropolitan Life, and Aetna, according to representative. Lower reimbursements will result in overall reductions in claim payments, which the company says it will pass on to its insured’s, Belle said.

"We're hoping to pass on the savings to our group in the form of lower rates," Belle told DrBicuspid.com. "Our employers are facing a lot of challenges, and employee benefits are places where they're looking to cut. We know that people are more likely to visit the dentist if they have dental insurance, and we want them to keep the insurance so we have to make it attractive for them to keep it."

The changes will affect 5,846 New Jersey dentists and 2,175 Connecticut dentists. Delta Dental's Premier Network is the largest network in the U.S.

"Connecticut dentists are aware of the reimbursement rate cuts that Delta Dental of New Jersey feels are necessary and will be implementing early next year. It is always unfortunate when reimbursements to dentists are reduced at the same time when the cost to dentists in providing services continues to rise," Carol Dingeldey, director of the Connecticut State Dental Association, stated in an email to DrBicuspid.com.

The New Jersey Dental Association declined to comment.

Last November, Delta Dental cut rates between 4% to 13% for Idaho dentists in the company's preferred provider organization (PPO) dental plans, which affected all 825 dentists in the state, according to the Idaho State Dental Association (ISDA).

The reductions affected all Idaho dentists, even those who do not contract with Delta Dental in the PPO plan, because they also reduced the allowable rates for dentists who don't have contracts with Delta, said ISDA President Gregory Bengston, DDS.

And last June, the Washington Dental Service (WDS) -- a member of the Delta Dental Plans Association -- slashed reimbursements by 15%. The reduction applied across the board to approximately 4,000 dentists in Delta Dental's Premier fee-for-service network.

If you have any questions or need help with the many changes with billing contact Links2Success.biz and we will be happy to work with you.