Vote NO on Massachusetts Ballot Question 2 to Protect Access to Dental Coverage

Keep Dental Insurance Affordable in Massachusetts 

Bay State families are getting pressured with higher costs of living, limiting access to things they need. Question 2 on the ballot gets in the way of access to affordable dental coverage by proposing a medical loss ratio of 83% for dental insurance in Massachusetts.  

Protect Access to Dental Insurance for Families 

Question 2 proposes an unrealistic portion of monthly premiums for dental insurers to support administration and operations. If this goes through, dental insurers in Massachusetts may have to increase premiums to keep up, especially in the face of inflation. This risks dental coverage becoming less accessible in Massachusetts.  

What is a medical loss ratio (MLR)? 

A medical loss ratio is the portion of insurance premiums spent on medical claims, while the remainder is spent on administration costs. [More from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners: Here] 

Why will question 2 make dental insurance less affordable? 

Others claim that dental insurance should be treated the same way health insurance is treated by the Affordable Care Act, which requires an MLR of 80- 85%. However, dental insurance premiums on average are much lower than health insurance premiums. This means that 17% of the remaining premium for dental insurers to support administration costs is far less than what would be 17% of a health insurance premium to do the same thing. 

Bottom Line 

A NO VOTE on question 2 of the ballot this year protects access to affordable dental coverage in Massachusetts.