An Act to Allow Dental Care Providers to Opt In to Receive Claim
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1834
Committee: Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services
Sponsors: BALDACCI
Amends: 24-A MRSA §2770-A, 24-A MRSA §2847-X, 24-A MRSA §4261, 24-A MRSA §4320-W

Legislative Document
No. 1834
S.P. 716
In Senate, April 30, 2025
An Act to Allow Dental Care Providers to Opt In to Receive Claim 
Reimbursement Payments Made by Virtual Credit Cards
Reference to the Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services 
suggested and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator BALDACCI of Penobscot.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  24-A MRSA §2770-A is enacted to read:
§2770-A.  Credit card and other payment methods to dental care providers
1.  Definitions.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 
following terms have the following meanings.
A. "Automated clearing house network" or "ACH" means a nationwide system that 
facilitates electronic transfers of funds between bank accounts.
B. "Dental care provider" means a person licensed under Title 32, chapter 143, 
subchapter 3.
2.  Credit card and other payment methods to dental care providers.  An insurer 
that issues individual health insurance policies and contracts may pay a claim for 
reimbursement to a dental care provider by credit card, automatic clearing house network 
or other similar electronic payment method that imposes on the provider a fee or similar 
charge to process the payment if, prior to payment: 
A. The insurer notifies the dental care provider of the fee or other charge associated 
with the use of the payment method; 
B. The insurer offers the dental care provider an alternative payment method that does 
not impose a fee or similar charge to process the payment; and
C. The dental care provider or a designee of the provider elects to accept payment of 
the claim for reimbursement using the payment method under paragraph A. 
3.  Third-party vendor.  If an insurer under subsection 2 contracts with a 3rd-party 
vendor to process a payment under subsection 2, the insurer shall require the vendor to 
comply with subsection 2, paragraph A. 
4.  Opt-out.  If a dental care provider who has elected to accept payment under 
subsection 2, paragraph C opts out of the election, the insurer may not pay a claim for 
reimbursement to the dental care provider with a payment method under subsection 2 
unless the dental care provider subsequently elects to accept payment by that method under 
subsection 2, paragraph C. 
Sec. 2.  24-A MRSA §2847-X is enacted to read:
§2847-X.  Credit card and other payment methods to dental care providers
1.  Definitions.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 
following terms have the following meanings.
A. "Automated clearing house network" or "ACH" means a nationwide system that 
facilitates electronic transfers of funds between bank accounts.
B. "Dental care provider" means a person licensed under Title 32, chapter 143, 
subchapter 3.
2.  Credit card and other payment methods to dental care providers.  An insurer 
that issues group health insurance policies and contracts may pay a claim for 
reimbursement to a dental care provider by credit card, automatic clearing house network 
or other similar electronic payment method that imposes on the provider a fee or similar 
charge to process the payment if, prior to payment: 
A. The insurer notifies the dental care provider of the fee or other charge associated 
with the use of the payment method; 
B. The insurer offers the dental care provider an alternative payment method that does 
not impose a fee or similar charge to process the payment; and
C. The dental care provider or a designee of the provider elects to accept payment of 
the claim for reimbursement using the payment method under paragraph A. 
3.  Third-party vendor.  If an insurer under subsection 2 contracts with a 3rd-party 
vendor to process a payment under subsection 2, the insurer shall require the vendor to 
comply with subsection 2, paragraph A. 
4.  Opt-out.  If a dental care provider who has elected to accept payment under 
subsection 2, paragraph C opts out of the election, the insurer may not pay a claim for 
reimbursement to the dental care provider with a payment method under subsection 2 
unless the dental care provider subsequently elects to accept payment by that method under 
subsection 2, paragraph C. 
Sec. 3.  24-A MRSA §4261 is enacted to read:
§4261.  Credit card and other payment methods to dental care providers
1.  Definitions.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 
following terms have the following meanings.
A. "Automated clearing house network" or "ACH" means a nationwide system that 
facilitates electronic transfers of funds between bank accounts.
B. "Dental care provider" means a person licensed under Title 32, chapter 143, 
subchapter 3.
2.  Credit card and other payment methods to dental care providers.  A health 
maintenance organization that issues group health insurance policies and contracts may pay 
a claim for reimbursement to a dental care provider by credit card, automatic clearing house 
network or other similar electronic payment method that imposes on the provider a fee or 
similar charge to process the payment if, prior to payment: 
A. The health maintenance organization notifies the dental care provider of the fee or 
other charge associated with the use of the payment method; 
B. The health maintenance organization offers the dental care provider an alternative 
payment method that does not impose a fee or similar charge to process the payment; 
and
C. The dental care provider or a designee of the provider elects to accept payment of 
the claim for reimbursement using the payment method under paragraph A. 
3.  Third-party vendor.  If a health maintenance organization under subsection 2 
contracts with a 3rd-party vendor to process a payment under subsection 2, the health 
maintenance organization shall require the vendor to comply with subsection 2, paragraph 
A. 
4.  Opt-out.  If a dental care provider who has elected to accept payment under 
subsection 2, paragraph C opts out of the election, the health maintenance organization may 
not pay a claim for reimbursement to the dental care provider with a payment method under 
subsection 2 unless the dental care provider subsequently elects to accept payment by that 
method under subsection 2, paragraph C. 
Sec. 4.  24-A MRSA §4320-W is enacted to read:
§4320-W.  Credit card and other payment methods to dental care providers
1.  Definitions.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 
following terms have the following meanings.
A. "Automated clearing house network" or "ACH" means a nationwide system that 
facilitates electronic transfers of funds between bank accounts.
B. "Dental care provider" means a person licensed under Title 32, chapter 143, 
subchapter 3.
2.  Credit card and other payment methods to dental care providers.  A carrier that 
issues group health insurance policies and contracts may pay a claim for reimbursement to 
a dental care provider by credit card, automatic clearing house network or other similar 
electronic payment method that imposes on the provider a fee or similar charge to process 
the payment if, prior to payment: 
A. The carrier notifies the dental care provider of the fee or other charge associated 
with the use of the payment method; 
B. The carrier offers the dental care provider an alternative payment method that does 
not impose a fee or similar charge to process the payment; and
C. The dental care provider or a designee of the provider elects to accept payment of 
the claim for reimbursement using the payment method under paragraph A. 
3.  Third-party vendor.  If a carrier under subsection 2 contracts with a 3rd-party 
vendor to process a payment under subsection 2, the carrier shall require the vendor to 
comply with subsection 2, paragraph A. 
4.  Opt-out.  If a dental care provider who has elected to accept payment under 
subsection 2, paragraph C opts out of the election, the carrier may not pay a claim for 
reimbursement to the dental care provider with a payment method under subsection 2 
unless the dental care provider subsequently elects to accept payment by that method under 
subsection 2, paragraph C. 
SUMMARY
This bill allows insurers of individual and group health insurance policies, health 
maintenance organizations and insurance carriers to pay claims for reimbursement to dental 
care providers by credit card, automated clearing house network or other similar electronic 
payment methods that charge a fee or other similar charge to process the payment if the 
insurer informs the dental care provider of the fee or similar charge prior to payment, the 
insurer offers an alternative payment method that does not charge a fee or similar charge 
and the dental care provider agrees to accept payment by that payment method.