Panel adopts amendment and lays over bill allowing dental patients to assign out‑of‑network payments to dentists

Representative Breyer introduced House File 46, which would permit a health plan enrollee to request that payment for dental services be sent directly to the dentist even if the dentist is out of network.

Dan Murphy, representing the Minnesota Dental Association, said the change is voluntary for patients and would reduce up‑front out‑of‑pocket costs and administrative burdens for dentists. “This bill is about one fundamental principle, giving patients the option to control where their out‑of‑network dental benefits are sent,” Dan Murphy said.

Delta Dental of Minnesota expressed concerns about consumer confusion and consumer protections. Ben Wogsland, vice president of government affairs for Delta Dental of Minnesota, said networks create value for patients and providers and that out‑of‑network payments currently flow to the enrollee, who then pays the dentist. He warned the committee about the credentialing and consumer‑protection differences between in‑network and out‑of‑network providers and urged continued negotiation on consumer protections.

Committee members asked several questions about how the process functions in practice and raised the communication challenge of ensuring patients understand whether a provider is in network. Representative Breyer said the bill centers the patient and does not change coverage levels; it only changes payment administration when the patient requests assignment.

The committee adopted a DE2 amendment to clarify language and laid House File 46 over for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill. No final changes to coverage or mandate were adopted in committee.