In an August 11th letter to dental benefit administrators, the ADA said the administrative inefficiencies and burdens that third-party payers impose on dental offices create unnecessary frustration for dentists and patients, and change is needed. Especially with the increasing business costs for dental practices due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ADA wants to bring attention to an “extremely urgent issue regarding eligibility and benefits verification,” ADA President Chad P. Gehani and ADA Executive Director Kathleen T. O’Loughlin wrote. “We urge payers to honor any pre-determinations sent to dental offices and ensure that eventual payment aligns with what was originally determined,” the letter said. “Current pre-determination processes are systems that increase paperwork without any assurance of accuracy or completeness of the information provided.”

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