HELENA, December 20, 2018 — The Montana Dental Association (MDA) is pleased to announce U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) has introduced S. 3782 the Senate version of H.R. 372, the “Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act.” This legislation seeks to ensure more competition in the health insurance marketplace by reestablishing federal antitrust enforcement and oversight over the health insurance industry.
Dr. Jane Gillette, past president of MDA, who traveled from Bozeman to Washington, D.C., to meet with Sen. Daines and key staff last month to discuss the legislation, was quick to praise sponsorship of the bill. “As a recognized champion on improving quality and affordability in healthcare, Sen. Daines is a natural sponsor for this bill,” said Dr. Gillette. “Transparency and competition are key underpinnings in driving value and this bill gives consumers one more resource in achieving that goal.”
This legislation, if enacted, will amend a section of the McCarran-Ferguson Act of 1945, which exempts the insurance industry from important provisions of the Sherman Act and the Clayton Act – acts that have the purpose of ensuring fair competition. The new legislation will help level the playing field between health insurers, providers, and consumers, and may help to make health insurance more affordable for all Americans.
This bill is narrowly drawn to apply only to the business of health insurance, including dental insurance. Dr. Andy Althauser, MDA President, commented on yesterday’s action, “The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 372 by an overwhelming vote of 416-7, which illustrates the bipartisan support for this policy. MDA members will work diligently in 2019 to assist U.S. Senator Daines to gather similar bipartisan support in the U.S. Senate.”
In an email to the MDA members on December 19th, Mike Graham, Senior Vice President of Government and Public Affairs for the American Dental Association (ADA), thanked them for their role in encouraging U.S. Senator Daines to champion this important bill.
The mission of the Montana Dental Association is to represent the interests of the members of the dental profession and promote the art and science of dentistry to improve the health of Montanans.
With 508 active and 200 retired dentist members in MDA, Montana is one of the top three states in percentage of dentists actively involved in national, state and local issues.
ADA Press Release Link:
Link to S. 3782:
Link to H.R. 372:
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/372
Link to ADA Morning Huddle
http://mailview.bulletinhealthcare.com/mailview.aspx?m=2018122001ada&r=7043681-f8c1&render=y
