California's largest dental plan announced today the availability of web claims submission (WCS) and online claims inquiry for all participating Delta dentists in California.
The announcement follows a successful pilot program by Delta Dental of California already helping hundreds California dentists cut their costs to submit and track dental claims, as well as get reimbursed quickly and accurately over a secure Internet connection.
WCS adds the second of two paperless channels available to all 19,000 Delta dentists -- 92 percent of the dentists licensed in California -- who transact business with Delta as part of the state's largest dentist panel. Nearly 40 percent of dental claims currently submitted to Delta arrive through multiple third-party vendors supporting electronic claims submission (ECS). Unlike ECS, however, WCS offers dentists a cost-free web-based channel that delivers claims data directly to Delta, bypassing the current electronic clearinghouses, which typically add between 45 to 50 cents per claim to the cost of transmission.
"Electronic claims submission remains an efficient way to submit a large number of claims to multiple dental carriers at once, but the web claims alternative is ideal for the dental office with just a few claims destined for Delta specifically without the cost of transmission fees," said Marilynn Belek, DMD, Delta's chief dental officer. "For Delta and its participating dentists, the goal is to reduce paper, control costs, streamline administration and improve the accuracy of claims payment. ECS, WCS and online claims inquiry contribute to that goal."
Online claims inquiry is another web-based time-saver for dental offices, allowing them to quickly verify via the Internet whether Delta has received an ECS, WCS or paper-based claim, check if and when it was processed, and if so, view the complete explanation of benefits.
Both WCS and online claims inquiry are utilities easily navigated with any Internet browser pointed toward Delta's corporate web site (www.deltadentalca.org). From Delta's home page, dentists click on the "online services" link, provide their username and password (newcomers must first register to enter Delta's secure "dentist connection,") then follow the prompts to use any of the web features listed.
Within the claims inquiry utility, dentists are prompted to provide their license number, patient's ID # and patient's first name to look up the status of a claim.
Delta Dentists or their staff can find out more about ECS, WCS or online claims inquiry by contacting a Delta specialist by e-mail at [email protected], or by phone at 415-974-8548 or 415-974-8547.
