6 insurers to offer pediatric dental coverage on California exchange

Six insurers have said they will offer pediatric dental coverage on California's health insurance exchange. Covered California, the agency implementing the state's exchange, announced Tuesday that the insurers include Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California, Delta Dental, Health Net, Liberty Dental and Premier Access Dental.

Although more than these six companies submitted bids to offer dental plans, Covered California Executive Director Peter Lee wouldn't disclose how many or which ones weren't chosen.

"We are an active purchaser. We seek the best deal on cost, quality and access," Lee said, according to the Sacramento Business Journal. "[W]e put together what we think is a very good portfolio--good choice and enough choice."

All the insurers, except for Health Net, will offer their dental plans as stand-alone products that consumers can purchase separately from their other plans. Most of the six insurers will compete in each of California's 19 regions, meaning the dental premiums will range from $9 to $39 per month, the Sacramento Bee reported.

Covered California officials declined to compare those prices with dental plans available outside the exchange because the new plans provide new benefits, including a $1,000 cap on annual out-of-pocket spending and no yearly maximum on treatment costs, reported MedCity News.

To learn more:
- here's the Covered California announcement
- read the Sacramento Business Journal article
- see the Sacramento Bee article
- check out the MedCity News article