ADA applauds New York law allowing dentists to opt out of virtual credit card payments

The American Dental Association (ADA) is applauding a new law in New York that gives dentists greater control over how they are reimbursed by insurers, marking a notable policy win following years of advocacy.

Under the legislation, insurers must now obtain a dentist’s consent before reimbursing claims through virtual credit cards or any electronic funds transfer method that imposes transaction fees. The change allows dentists to opt out of payment mechanisms that can reduce reimbursement amounts through processing charges.

“While this is not the first insurance-related victory in New York, it represents one of the first successful reforms in a long time addressing modern insurance practices that were not ultimately vetoed by a governor,” said Maurice Edwards, president of the New York State Dental Association.

The legislation was supported in part through the ADA’s State Public Affairs grant program, which provides state dental societies with lobbying and public relations resources. Several New York legislators who are members of the National Council of Insurance Legislators also backed the measure, helping to advance negotiations with insurers and the governor’s office, Dr. Edwards said.

Prior to the law, New York providers had raised concerns about payment practices that shifted financial and administrative burdens onto clinics.

In March, NPR reported that New York officials, patient advocates and health-care providers were advancing efforts to better protect consumers while reducing administrative burdens on clinicians.

Patient advocates said patients should not be asked to sign “blank-check” forms that could expose them to financial risk, while doctors, hospitals and other providers argued their clinical workflows should not be disrupted by payment logistics, cost disputes or additional paperwork — particularly after care has already been delivered.

Related: 10 Ways to Ensure Successful and Ethical Dental Insurance Billing

Related: The Canada Dental Care Plan: Missing pieces – A commentary on the national dental program

A second win

The ADA also pointed to another recent policy win for New York dentists: an update to the state’s Workers’ Compensation Dental Fee Schedule.

Dental fees under the program had not been adjusted since 2009, a stagnation that discouraged many dentists from treating injured workers. Following more than a decade of advocacy by the state dental association, the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board implemented an updated fee schedule in November 2025.

The New York State Department of Financial Services later adopted the revised schedule for no-fault dental claims. The changes are expected to improve dentist participation in the program and expand access to dental care for injured workers across the state.