Assembly Bill No. 133 dated February 20, 2007 will make some important changes to provisions relating to the status of health and dental insurance policies for patients.

Current law allows insurance providers to refuse to pay for claims until the premium on the policy is paid in full by the patient. Amendments to the rules regarding health insurance will require insurance companies to notify health providers of the status of the insurance policy for their patients. In turn, health providers are then required to inform the patients of this status and what actions the health provider must take under those circumstances. Lastly, health providers must reimburse their patients for any expenses that are later covered by their insurance.