Billing

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Dentists can use CDA’s new Practice Health Check to ensure accurate dental plan billing

Every quarter, CDA publishes a Practice Health Check focusing on a different topic related to the business side of dentistry. Dental plan benefits are the focus in the fourth quarter of 2023. CDA members are invited to take the Q4 Practice Health Check evaluating one key question.

October 4, 2023 |2023, Billing, Contracts, Coordination of Benefits, Dental Benefits, Fees/Discounts/Refunds, News Articles, Practice Management

CDA-sponsored bill signed into law, improves dental plan disclosures for dentists, patients

In a victory for California dentists and their patients, Gov. Newsom has signed CDA-sponsored legislation that will help dental offices communicate the details of dental plan coverage to their patients. Plans also will be required to disclose whether a patient’s plan is state or federally regulated.

August 3, 2023 |2023, Advocacy, Billing, Legislation, News Articles

Adding a new dentist or utilizing locum tenens? Here’s how to inform benefit plans and submit accurate claims

CDA’s experts answer members’ questions about adding a new dentist or utilizing locum tenens and the accompanying considerations for the dentist’s working relationship with dental benefit plans. 

July 25, 2023 |2023, Billing, Contracts, Dental Benefits, News Articles, Practice Management

Delta Dental’s notice of upcoming contract changes raises concerns for dentists, CDA

Reports from CDA members during the last week on contract change notification letters sent by Delta Dental of California raise additional concerns for CDA about the proposed changes. 

September 14, 2022 |2022, Billing, Contracts, News Articles

Do you have dental benefit plan-related questions or issues? Help from CDA is a click away

Do you have a question about a dental benefit issue? You can receive timely assistance from a CDA Practice Support expert. Simply submit your question online using the dental submission form available within your cda.org account. 

October 18, 2021 |2021, Appeals, Billing, Contracts, Coordination of Benefits, Dental Benefits, Fees/Discounts/Refunds, News Articles

Considerations when billing for an associate in the dental practice

Cindy Hartwell, dental benefits analyst at CDA Practice Support, reviews how a dental practice can bill properly by registering all treating dentists in the practice with the dental plan or plans.

May 10, 2021 |2021, Billing, Dental Benefits, News Articles

Is it really scaling and root planing?

CDA Practice Support is receiving calls from dentists and their staff concerning claim denials for scaling and root planing services by dental benefit plans. In this article, I review the criteria utilized by dental plans when reviewing claims for scaling and root planing and why some of the plan denials are correct based on the American Dental Association’s definition of scaling and root planing. 

August 26, 2020 |2020, Billing, Dental Benefits, News Articles

Offering a discount dental plan in the practice ― the basics

Patients with some form of dental coverage or benefit to offset their out-of-pocket cost are more likely to accept a treatment plan. Offering an in-house discount plan can assist with attracting new patients and help retain existing patients, particularly those patients without any form of dental coverage.

July 29, 2020 |2020, Billing, Dental Benefits, Fees/Discounts/Refunds, News Articles

What’s covered and who pays what: It’s all in the EOB

Congratulations — the dental plan paid the claim! Or did they? Confirmation that your claim has been processed comes in two forms: payment and/or an explanation of benefits. An EOB is sent to the patient and/or dental office as a receipt of services provided. Unfortunately, dental plans do not have standardized formats for these documents, which is why it’s necessary for an office to read the EOB completely.

August 22, 2019 |2019, Billing, Dental Benefits, News Articles

Dental Benefits 101: Preauthorization versus predetermination

CDA Practice Support occasionally hears a complaint from dental offices that a plan granted a preauthorization for treatment and then denied payment when the claim was submitted. Digging a little deeper into these complaints, there may be some confusion between what constitutes a “preauthorization” and what is a “predetermination” or pre-estimate of benefits.

July 5, 2017 |2013-2019, Billing, Dental Benefits, News Articles

Dental benefits 101: Proper billing, waiving co-payments

Beginning in the New Year, and with the forthcoming issue of the CDA Update, the dental benefits column will host a semiregular series discussing basic dental benefit issues. The topics covered address questions that CDA Practice Support receives from dental offices and from local dental components. This first installment addresses proper billing for treatment provided by an associate and waiving of co-payments.

December 20, 2016 |2013-2019, Billing, Contracts, Dental Benefits, Fees/Discounts/Refunds, News Articles

Billing medical plans for dental treatment

There is an ongoing trend within health care toward integration and consolidation of health care delivery systems. This trend is reflected in provisions of the federal Affordable Care Act, such as the envisioned coordination of care provided under a single entity, the "Accountable Care Organization." The objective of such integration and consolidation is to provide better management of care, create greater efficiencies in the provision of care and improve patient outcomes.

May 25, 2016 |2013-2019, Advocacy, Billing, Dental Benefits, Health Care Reform, Legislation, News Articles