Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signed nine bills into law July 15, including one to prohibit dental insurers from forcing dentists to accept credit card payments.
House Bill 1664 does not prohibit insurers from using virtual credit card payments, but does require the insurer to provide other payment options to dentists and give dentists the ability to choose which payment options works best for them, according to a memo related to the bill.
When a dental insurer pays a dentist using a virtual credit or debit card, the dental practice has to take on the transaction fee or pass it on to the patient. Sometimes the fees are as high as 5%, and the insurer sometimes receives a portion of the fee.
Nineteen other states have passed similar legislation that prohibits dental insurers from requiring virtual credit card payments, the memo said.