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September 09, 2002
Guardian participates in innovative group dental claim submission technology.
Major Dental Plan Companies Announce Investment in Internet Technology Company, Dental Connect, Inc.
Irvine, CA - September 9, 2002 - Is insurance paperwork reduction really a possibility? Six of the country's largest dental insurers and plan administrators think so. Aetna, Ameritas Life Insurance Corp., Delta Dental Plan of Michigan, The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, MetLife and Dental Benefit Providers (the dental subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group) have joined together in a cooperative technology venture aimed at putting the resources of eligibility and benefit plan information and streamlined claim submission at dentists' fingertips. More information, less administrative work, faster, more accurate claim submission and reimbursement and lower practice costs are key to improving the dentist-patient relationship and providing a more satisfying dental experience. Their goal is to increase nationwide electronic claim submission from its current 25% of all claims to 80%.
To help achieve their goals, the insurers have invested in Dental Connect, Inc. ("DCI"), a technology company based in Irvine, California. Among its service offerings, DCI operates the dentalxchange.com website, and is a pioneer in developing Internet software to connect dental offices and insurance companies.
DCI currently offers a service closely matching the carriers' vision through the dentalxchange.com website. Today, the platform allows dentists to submit claims and pre-treatment estimates to all carriers at no cost. For some carriers, dentists can also check patient eligibility, benefits information and the status of submitted claims— all in real time. Additional patient and plan information from other carriers will be added, as the functionality becomes available. It's important to note that this service is open to every carrier and dentist, and exclusivity is not requested from anyone who utilizes the service.
"After extensive market research on the needs of dental offices, we found that the dental community provides unique opportunities for electronic connectivity solutions," said Ed Murphy, Chairman and CEO of Dental Benefit Providers. "Through our research, the processes and systems to be put in place for dentists to increase electronic submissions were made very clear to us. The service should be free to the dentist and offer accurate, secure and instantaneous information. The Internet is the perfect vehicle for this."
"We have the opportunity to make a real difference, and I'm excited about that," says Scott Schnuckle, Head of Aetna Dental Plans. "This is about investing in our future. We have the opportunity to take administrative expense out of the system, which benefits everyone through greater efficiencies. Ultimately, improved processes should reduce costs to dentists, their patients and plan sponsors."
"We couldn't be more pleased that this sophisticated group of companies selected Dental Connect to provide these services," said Richard Lee, CEO of DCI. "It validates our belief that using the right technology can lead to a better experience for both dentists and patients, and at the same time save money for carriers and dentists alike. It is exciting to be part of an effort that will drive the behavior that may forever change the way dentists and carriers do business."
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