AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE -- ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES (Provides that no contract between a dental plan or other healthcare entity and a dentist requires the dentist to accept exclusively by virtual credit cards.)

S3156

2026 -- S 3156
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LC006202
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO INSURANCE -- ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES

Introduced By:
Senators Gallo, and DiPalma

Date Introduced:
March 27, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Health & Human Services
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
1
SECTION 1. Chapter 27-18 of the General Laws entitled "Accident and Sickness Insurance
2
Policies" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
3

27-18-96. Methods of payment.

4

(a) No contract between a dental plan or other healthcare entity and a dentist for the
5
provision of services to beneficiaries shall require the dentist to accept payment exclusively by
6
means of any form of payment method that requires dentists to pay fees or charges to release
7
payment including virtual credit cards. A dental plan or other healthcare entity may initiate or
8
change to a payment methodology that requires dentists to pay fees or charges to release payment,
9
including virtual credit card payments, if the dental plan or healthcare entity:
10

(1) Informs the dentist of all available methods of payment;
11

(2) Provides clear and accessible instructions for the selection of an alternative method of
12
payment;
13

(3) Ensures that the dentist may exercise such selection without restriction; and
14

(4) The provider or a designee of the provider elects, through express acceptance, to accept
15
a payment of the claim using the credit card or electronic funds transfer payment method. Violation
16
of express acceptance nullifies any election on claim payment methodology until such time as
17
express agreement is executed.
18

(b) Neither the dental plan, the healthcare entity, nor any affiliated healthcare payments
19
platform shall impose any fee or charge upon the dentist for access to payment or claims data; the

1
transmission or processing of payment; or the issuance or mailing of payment.
2

(c) As used in this section, the following terms have the following meanings, unless the
3
context clearly indicates otherwise:
4

(1) "Alternative payment method" means any form of payment other than virtual credit
5
cards such as electronic funds transfers ("EFT") or automated clearing house payment ("ACH") or
6
paper check.
7

(2) "Dental plan" means a policy or program that provides a specified level of dental
8
benefits for procedures rendered by a dentist or hygienist, to a member or subscriber.
9

(3) "Dentist" means a licensed individual under chapter 31.1 of title 5 ("dentists and dental
10
hygienists").
11

(4) "Express acceptance" means a clear and direct agreement to the terms of payment
12
method, communicated explicitly by the dental plan to the dentist, in writing, signifying acceptance
13
of the payment method without any ambiguity or implied actions.
14

(5) "Healthcare entity" means any for profit or nonprofit dental service corporation or any
15
for profit or nonprofit hospital service corporation providing dental plans or any other entity
16
providing dental plans and entering into provider contracts with dentists in the State of Rhode
17
Island.
18

(6) "Healthcare payments platform" means any form of payment processor directly linked
19
to or under contract with a healthcare entity.
20

(7) "Virtual credit card" means a form of electronic funds transfer utilizing a single-use
21
series of numbers and specific payment amount which the payee is required to process manually.
22
SECTION 2. Chapter 27-19 of the General Laws entitled "Nonprofit Hospital Service
23
Corporations" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
24

27-19-88. Methods of payment.

25

(a) No contract between a dental plan or other healthcare entity and a dentist for the
26
provision of services to beneficiaries shall require the dentist to accept payment exclusively by
27
means of any form of payment method that requires dentists to pay fees or charges to release
28
payment including virtual credit cards. A dental plan or other healthcare entity may initiate or
29
change to a payment methodology that requires dentists to pay fees or charges to release payment,
30
including virtual credit card payments, if the dental plan or healthcare entity:
31

(1) Informs the dentist of all available methods of payment;
32

(2) Provides clear and accessible instructions for the selection of an alternative method of
33
payment;
34

(3) Ensures that the dentist may exercise such selection without restriction; and

LC006202 - Page 2 of 7
1

(4) The provider or a designee of the provider elects, through express acceptance, to accept
2
a payment of the claim using the credit card or electronic funds transfer payment method. Violation
3
of express acceptance nullifies any election on claim payment methodology until such time as
4
express agreement is executed.
5

(b) Neither the dental plan, the healthcare entity, nor any affiliated healthcare payments
6
platform shall impose any fee or charge upon the dentist for access to payment or claims data; the
7
transmission or processing of payment; or the issuance or mailing of payment.
8

(c) As used in this section, the following terms have the following meanings, unless the
9
context clearly indicates otherwise:
10

(1) "Alternative payment method" means any form of payment other than virtual credit
11
cards such as electronic funds transfers ("EFT") or automated clearing house payment ("ACH") or
12
paper check.
13

(2) "Dental plan" means a policy or program that provides a specified level of dental
14
benefits for procedures rendered by a dentist or hygienist, to a member or subscriber.
15

(3) "Dentist" means a licensed individual under chapter 31.1 of title 5 ("dentists and dental
16
hygienists").
17

(4) "Express acceptance" means a clear and direct agreement to the terms of payment
18
method, communicated explicitly by the dental plan to the dentist, in writing, signifying acceptance
19
of the payment method without any ambiguity or implied actions.
20

(5) "Healthcare entity" means any for profit or nonprofit dental service corporation or any
21
for profit or nonprofit hospital service corporation providing dental plans or any other entity
22
providing dental plans and entering into provider contracts with dentists in the State of Rhode
23
Island.
24

(6) "Healthcare payments platform" means any form of payment processor directly linked
25
to or under contract with a healthcare entity.
26

(7) "Virtual credit card" means a form of electronic funds transfer utilizing a single-use
27
series of numbers and specific payment amount which the payee is required to process manually.
28
SECTION 3. Chapter 27-20 of the General Laws entitled "Nonprofit Medical Service
29
Corporations" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
30

27-20-84. Methods of payment.

31

(a) No contract between a dental plan or other healthcare entity and a dentist for the
32
provision of services to beneficiaries shall require the dentist to accept payment exclusively by
33
means of any form of payment method that requires dentists to pay fees or charges to release
34
payment including virtual credit cards. A dental plan or other healthcare entity may initiate or

LC006202 - Page 3 of 7
1
change to a payment methodology that requires dentists to pay fees or charges to release payment,
2
including virtual credit card payments, if the dental plan or healthcare entity:
3

(1) Informs the dentist of all available methods of payment;
4

(2) Provides clear and accessible instructions for the selection of an alternative method of
5
payment;
6

(3) Ensures that the dentist may exercise such selection without restriction; and
7

(4) The provider or a designee of the provider elects, through express acceptance, to accept
8
a payment of the claim using the credit card or electronic funds transfer payment method. Violation
9
of express acceptance nullifies any election on claim payment methodology until such time as
10
express agreement is executed.
11

(b) Neither the dental plan, the healthcare entity, nor any affiliated healthcare payments
12
platform shall impose any fee or charge upon the dentist for access to payment or claims data; the
13
transmission or processing of payment; or the issuance or mailing of payment.
14

(c) As used in this section, the following terms have the following meanings, unless the
15
context clearly indicates otherwise:
16

(1) "Alternative payment method" means any form of payment other than virtual credit
17
cards such as electronic funds transfers ("EFT") or automated clearing house payment ("ACH") or
18
paper check.
19

(2) "Dental plan" means a policy or program that provides a specified level of dental
20
benefits for procedures rendered by a dentist or hygienist, to a member or subscriber.
21

(3) "Dentist" means a licensed individual under chapter 31.1 of title 5 ("dentists and dental
22
hygienists").
23

(4) "Express acceptance" means a clear and direct agreement to the terms of payment
24
method, communicated explicitly by the dental plan to the dentist, in writing, signifying acceptance
25
of the payment method without any ambiguity or implied actions.
26

(5) "Healthcare entity" means any for profit or nonprofit dental service corporation or any
27
for profit or nonprofit hospital service corporation providing dental plans or any other entity
28
providing dental plans and entering into provider contracts with dentists in the State of Rhode
29
Island.
30

(6) "Healthcare payments platform" means any form of payment processor directly linked
31
to or under contract with a healthcare entity.
32

(7) "Virtual credit card" means a form of electronic funds transfer utilizing a single-use
33
series of numbers and specific payment amount which the payee is required to process manually.
34
SECTION 4. Chapter 27-41 of the General Laws entitled "Health Maintenance

LC006202 - Page 4 of 7
1
Organizations" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
2

27-41-101. Methods of payment.

3

(a) No contract between a dental plan or other healthcare entity and a dentist for the
4
provision of services to beneficiaries shall require the dentist to accept payment exclusively by
5
means of any form of payment method that requires dentists to pay fees or charges to release
6
payment including virtual credit cards. A dental plan or other healthcare entity may initiate or
7
change to a payment methodology that requires dentists to pay fees or charges to release payment,
8
including virtual credit card payments, if the dental plan or healthcare entity:
9

(1) Informs the dentist of all available methods of payment;
10

(2) Provides clear and accessible instructions for the selection of an alternative method of
11
payment;
12

(3) Ensures that the dentist may exercise such selection without restriction; and
13

(4) The provider or a designee of the provider elects, through express acceptance, to accept
14
a payment of the claim using the credit card or electronic funds transfer payment method. Violation
15
of express acceptance nullifies any election on claim payment methodology until such time as
16
express agreement is executed.
17

(b) Neither the dental plan, the healthcare entity, nor any affiliated healthcare payments
18
platform shall impose any fee or charge upon the dentist for access to payment or claims data; the
19
transmission or processing of payment; or the issuance or mailing of payment.
20

(c) As used in this section, the following terms have the following meanings, unless the
21
context clearly indicates otherwise:
22

(1) "Alternative payment method" means any form of payment other than virtual credit
23
cards such as electronic funds transfers ("EFT") or automated clearing house payment ("ACH") or
24
paper check.
25

(2) "Dental plan" means a policy or program that provides a specified level of dental
26
benefits for procedures rendered by a dentist or hygienist, to a member or subscriber.
27

(3) "Dentist" means a licensed individual under chapter 31.1 of title 5 ("dentists and dental
28
hygienists").
29

(4) "Express acceptance" means a clear and direct agreement to the terms of payment
30
method, communicated explicitly by the dental plan to the dentist, in writing, signifying acceptance
31
of the payment method without any ambiguity or implied actions.
32

(5) "Healthcare entity" means any for profit or nonprofit dental service corporation or any
33
for profit or nonprofit hospital service corporation providing dental plans or any other entity
34
providing dental plans and entering into provider contracts with dentists in the State of Rhode

LC006202 - Page 5 of 7
1
Island.
2

(6) "Healthcare payments platform" means any form of payment processor directly linked
3
to or under contract with a healthcare entity.
4

(7) "Virtual credit card" means a form of electronic funds transfer utilizing a single-use
5
series of numbers and specific payment amount which the payee is required to process manually.
6
SECTION 5. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2027.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO INSURANCE -- ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES
***
1
This act would provide that no contract between a dental plan or other healthcare entity
2
and a dentist for the provision of services to beneficiaries would require the dentist to accept
3
payment exclusively by means of any form of payment method that requires dentists to pay fees or
4
charges to release payment including virtual credit cards.
5
This act would take effect on January 1, 2027.
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LC006202
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LC006202 - Page 7 of 7