ADA challenges Delta Dental fee for payments by cheque

Dental Tribune International

Fri. 24. July 2026

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CHICAGO, US: The American Dental Association (ADA) has called on US insurance regulators to scrutinise a new Delta Dental of California policy under which, from 1 January 2027, contracted dentists may be charged US$15 (€13*) per week to receive claim reimbursements by cheque rather than by electronic funds transfer. The association argues that providers should be able to choose how they are paid without forfeiting part of their reimbursement.

Delta Dental is a nationwide system of independent dental insurance companies and its preferred provider organisation network includes more than 112,000 dentists. The policy concerns the Delta Dental of California enterprise, whose affiliated companies serve 15 US states as well as Washington, DC. It applies to dentists participating in the relevant Delta Dental provider networks who submit claims to companies in the enterprise.

For a dental practice charged the fee every week, the additional cost would amount to US$780 over a full year. Across the affected provider network, the combined charges could run into millions of dollars even if only a proportion of practices retained paper cheques. For example, if just 1,300 practices each paid the fee throughout the year, the combined charges would exceed US$1 million. However, the likely financial impact cannot presently be estimated, as Delta Dental of California has not disclosed how many practices will retain cheque payments or whether the fee will be assessed per clinician, practice, location or payment account.

ADA calls for regulatory scrutiny

In a letter sent on 8 July to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, which represents state insurance regulators, the ADA asked regulators to oppose payment policies that restrict provider choice. The association also encouraged individual state regulators to determine whether the fee complies with relevant insurance and consumer protection legislation.

The ADA said that additional administrative expenses may have a disproportionate effect on dental practices, many of which operate as small businesses. It argued that insurers should not transfer the cost of modernising their payment systems to healthcare providers or introduce arrangements that may divert practice resources from patient care.

Dr Shelley Olson, chair of the ADA Council on Dental Benefit Programs, commented in a press release that imposing fees on cheque payments increases the cost of treatment for patients and the delivery of care for dental practices. She explained that, although insurance providers may view electronic payment systems as an economical solution for modernising payments, they were not considering the added costs and administrative burden for dental practices. “In addition, these added administrative tasks effectively take time away from direct patient care,” Dr Olson said. She emphasised that the ADA supports the simplifying of administrative tasks, but that imposing payment requirements on dental practices was not the solution.

Editorial note:

^* Calculated on the OANDA platform for 20 July 2026.

Topics:

Practice Management

Tags:

American Dental Association Delta Dental Dental insurance Finances Insurance payouts Practice management Small businesses

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