Senate Human Services panel reviews bill allowing voluntary dentist-insurer talks under attorney general oversight

The Senate Human Services Committee on Tuesday heard an explanation of Senate Bill 2375, which would permit dental providers and dental insurers to enter voluntary, non‑fee-related joint negotiations under the supervision of the state attorney general to reduce the risk of violating antitrust law.

Senator Jose Castaneda, the bill’s prime sponsor, told the committee the bill’s purpose remains the same but that amendments reworked who will oversee the process and removed provisions that could run afoul of antitrust statutes. “The goal of the bill is the same. It's just how we're doing it, minor changes, big change, who we're doing it with, now, the attorney general,” Castaneda said.

The committee was presented a replacement draft (labeled “version 2,005”) that Castaneda described as a compromise between the…