Colo. House Democrats: Daugherty Bill Saves Coloradans Money on Dental Care

DENVER, Colorado, May 8 -- The Colorado House Democrats issued the following news release on May 7, 2023:

The House today passed a bipartisan bill sponsored by Representative Lindsey Daugherty to save Coloradans money on dental care.

"Although dental issues are often not taken as seriously as other medical issues, they can lead to serious medical conditions like heart disease, stroke, and pulmonary disease," said Rep. Lindsey Daugherty, D-Arvada. "By requiring dental insurers to report administrative costs, profits, and how premium dollars are spent, Colorado patients will save money on dental insurance, connecting them to dental services within their budget. This bill improves transparency and accountability for dental insurers to identify the driving factors of price increases and save Coloradans money on dental care."

SB23-179, also sponsored by Representative Anthony Hartsook, requires dental health insurers to report dental loss ratio forms to the Division of Insurance (DOI). Dental loss ratios are a financial measurement tool to determine how much of the health care premium is used to pay for medical care and how much is used to cover overhead costs.

This information helps identify the insurers that significantly vary from the average dental loss ratio, and the bill will authorize the DOI to investigate or enforce action against these carriers to drive costs down and save Colorado patients money on dental care.

SB23-179 passed the House by a vote of 60 to 5.

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