S.B. 2018 Summary

• Prohibits mutual benefit societies, health maintenance organizations, and dental service organizations from requiring participating dentist providers to furnish services at fees set or approved by the organization unless those services are covered services.

• Prevents these organizations from including provisions in dental service plans or agreements that set or recommend fees for non-covered dental services.

• Defines "covered services" as dental care services for which reimbursement is available under an enrollee's plan, or would be available except for contractual limitations such as deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, waiting periods, frequency limits, or annual/lifetime maximums.

• Establishes violations of these requirements as violations of Hawaii's unfair competition law (section 480-2).

• Takes effect upon approval.