Bill > SB335

This bill establishes the Montana Dental Insurance Transparency and Accountability Act, which aims to increase transparency and fairness in dental insurance coverage. The legislation requires dental insurers to calculate and report their dental loss ratio (the percentage of premium dollars spent on patient care) annually to the commissioner of securities and insurance by March 1st. Insurers must provide detailed information including the number of enrollees, plan cost-sharing amounts, and annual coverage limits. The commissioner will then make this information publicly available on a searchable website to allow consumers to compare dental loss ratios between insurers. If a dental insurer's loss ratio falls more than one standard deviation below the market average for two consecutive years, they may be required to provide rebates to policyholders or face other enforcement actions. The bill also gives the commissioner authority to create rules defining clinical dental services, quality improvement activities, and administrative costs. Importantly, the act does not apply to health insurance plans with embedded dental benefits or dental services covered under Medicaid. The new requirements will take effect for dental insurance policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, with the goal of ensuring that more premium dollars are spent directly on patient care rather than administrative expenses.

Business and Industry

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC0986