Rhode Island § 27-41-66 - Health Maintenance Organizations

§ 27-41-66. Dental insurance assignment of benefits.

Every entity licensed under this chapter shall allow, as a provision of any evidence of coverage of dental services, any person covered by the entity to direct, in writing, that benefits from a health benefit plan, policy, or contract, be paid directly to a dental care provider who has not contracted with the entity to provide dental services to persons covered by the entity but otherwise meets the credentialing criteria of the entity and has not previously been terminated by the entity as a participating provider. If written direction to pay is executed and written notice of the direction to pay is provided to the entity, the insuring entity shall pay the benefits directly to the dental care provider. Any efforts to modify the amount of benefits paid directly to the dental care provider under this section may include a reduction in benefits paid of no more than five percent (5%) less than the benefits paid to participating dentists. The entity paying the dentist, pursuant to a direction to pay duly executed by the subscriber, shall have the right to review the records of the dentist receiving such payment that relate exclusively to that particular subscriber/patient to determine that the service in question was rendered.