Insurance companies and third-party administrators (TPA) are the two main administrators of dental benefit plans.
Insurance companies are some of the most common administrators of dental benefit plans. Whether it’s a fully insured or self-funded plan, insurance carriers can provide many services for clients including:
- Marketing
- Underwriting
- Claims payment
- Risk management services
A third-party administrator is a claims’ payer who assumes responsibility for administering health benefit plans without assuming any financial risk. Some commercial insurance carriers and Blue Cross & Blue Shield plans also have TPA operations to accommodate self-funded employers seeking administrative services only (ASO) contracts.
To learn more, download the entire publication: Dental Benefits: An Introduction. Created by the ADA’s Council on Dental Benefit Programs, it includes information on communicating with third-party payers, handling coordination of benefits and more.