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Committee passes bill to regulate dental network leasing and virtual credit-card payments
Summary
The committee approved Senate File 158 with amendments to require transparency in dental network leasing and to limit mandatory virtual credit-card payments by dental providers.
The Labor, Health & Social Services Committee voted to advance Senate File 158, a bill that would regulate leasing of access to dental provider networks and curb insurer use of virtual credit-card payments for dental claims.
Nicholas Agopian, representing the Wyoming Dental Association, outlined language that adds definitions for network leasing, virtual credit card and related terms to the insurance code and establishes requirements for any party that leases access to a dental provider network. Dr. Erica Tonsow, identified in testimony as a Cheyenne dentist and president of the Wyoming Dental Association, told the committee that network leasing can change fee schedules and provider terms without a dentist’s consent and that virtual credit-card payments typically carry a 3%–5% processing fee.
The bill as drafted includes ten requirements for anyone leasing a dental network and a section on virtual credit cards; supporters said the bill would not retroactively alter existing contracts and that the provisions would apply only to contracts entered after the bill’s effective date of July 1, 2025. Testimony cited the National Council of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL) model language and proposed amendments to align the bill with that 2020 model.
Delta Dental of Wyoming, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming and other carriers testified. Delta Dental said it neither uses network leasing nor virtual credit cards and stood in support of the bill. Blue Cross Blue Shield proposed an amendment to mirror NCOIL model language that would clarify inclusion of affiliates and certain licensees in exemptions; the committee adopted that amendment. The Department of Insurance confirmed that an explicitly defined “commissioner” term was redundant in Title 26 and supported striking it.
Committee roll call on the amended measure recorded aye votes from Senators Crump, Hutchings, Scott, Steinmetz and Chairman Barlow; the bill passed the committee and will move to the Senate floor.
