What is Question 2 on the general election ballot?

Question 2 as it will be written on the ballot is, “Do you approve of a law summarized below, on which no vote was taken by the Senate or the House of Representatives on or before May 3, 2022?”

The question is about a proposed law that would create regulations for dental insurance. Specifically, the law would direct the Commissioner of the Massachusetts Division of Insurance to approve or disapprove the rates of dental benefit plans, and it would also require companies to spend at least 83% of premiums on members’ dental expenses and quality improvements instead of administrative expenses. This is known as a medical loss ratio. If insurance companies don’t meet the minimum standard of 83%, they will have to issue rebates to enrollees.

Currently, there is no minimum for how much of premiums dental insurance companies must spend on patient care. In comparison, medical insurance is regulated in the United States.

In Massachusetts, the medical loss ratio for small or individual health insurance plans is set at 88%, and 85% for large group plans. If the law is passed, Massachusetts would become the first state to regulate dental insurance rates.

What does a “yes” vote mean?

A “yes” vote would regulate dental insurance rates.

What does a “no” vote mean?

A “no” vote would keep things as they are and not regulate dental insurance rates.

What are supporters saying?

Supporters believe there is currently a lack of transparency on how patient dollars are spent and imposing regulations would bring better care and protection to consumers by forcing insurance companies to direct more money back to patient care.

“Patient dollars should be spent on patient care and not insurance company profits and administrative costs,” said Dr. Michael Cooper, a Worcester-based dentist who supports voting “yes.” “Dental patients deserve the same consumer protections that exist for medical insurance.”

Supporters also note that a section of the proposed law prevents increases over the consumer price index without state approval.

“This law is actually going to prevent premium increases because they would now have to be approved by the division of insurance,” Cooper said.

What are opponents saying?

Opponents believe imposing regulations on dental insurance will raise the cost of premiums for consumers, decrease choice for consumers, and ultimately make little difference in the quality of patient care.

Opponents cite a study from Milliman Research, which showed a possible 38% increase in premium costs if regulations are introduced. However, the Milliman Research study was funded by dental insurance companies and has not been peer reviewed.

“There is a reason why no other state in the country nor the federal government has set mandatory loss ratio requirements for dental plans,” Kyle Sullivan, a spokesman for the Committee to Protect Access to Quality Dental Care, said in an email.

“It is because dental coverage is different from medical insurance in a number of key ways. Dental plan premiums are on average just 5% of medical premiums and dental premiums have actually decreased in real terms when inflation is taken into account.”

How did we get here?

Question 2 was brought to the ballot through petition by a group of Massachusetts dentists. After the proposed measure received enough signatures, the ballot question was approved by Secretary of the Commonwealth Bill Galvin to be added for the upcoming general election ballot.