My 3 year old DD recently had general anesthesia at her dentists office. I had to pay cash to the anesthesiologist and then file a claim with my health insurance. The receptionist told me that all the parents' claims have been denied because anesthesia is not covered by insurance. However....she said since DD is under the age of 7 there is a state law requiring insurances to cover anesthesia because of her age and that I need to fight them until they reimburse me. I've been looking for this law all day today with no luck...I found something for the State of Georgia, but I cant find anything for anywhere else, especially California where I live.
I don't know if this applies to everyone in CA or in your situation but check out this regulation. HTH!
California Code of Regulations
Title 10. Investment
Chapter 5.5. Major Risk Medical Insurance Board
Article 3. Minimum Scope of Benefits
§ 10:2698.301. Minimum Scope of Benefits.
(a) The basic minimum scope of benefits offered by participating health plans to subscribers, dependent subscribers and enrolled dependents must comply with all requirements of the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975 including amendments as well as its applicable regulations, and shall include all of the benefits and services listed in this section. Except as required by the applicable statute and regulations, no other benefits shall be permitted to be offered by a participating health plan unless specifically provided for in the program contract with the participating health plan. The basic minimum scope of benefits shall be as follows:
(1) Hospital inpatient care in a hospital licensed pursuant to subdivision (a) of section 1250 of the Health and Safety Code, including all of the following benefits and services: ... (K) General anesthesia and associated facility charges in connection with dental procedures rendered in a hospital, when the clinical statusor underlying medical condition of a subscriber, enrolled dependent ordependent subscriber requires dental procedures that ordinarily would notrequire general anesthesia to be rendered in a hospital. This benefit is only available to subscribers, enrolled dependents or dependent subscribers under seven years of age; the developmentally disabled,regardless of age; and subscribers, enrolled dependents or dependentsubscribers whose health is compromised and for whom general anesthesiais medically necessary, regardless of age. Nothing in this section shall require a participating health plan tocover any charges for the dental procedure itself, including, but notlimited to, the professional fee of the dentist .... (2) Medical and surgical services, provided on an outpatient basiswhenever medically appropriate, including all of the following: ... (G) General anesthesia and associated facility charges in connection with dental procedures rendered in a surgery center setting, when theclinical status or underlying medical condition of a subscriber, enrolled dependent or dependent subscriber requires dental procedures that ordinarily would not require general anesthesia to be rendered in asurgery center setting. This benefit is only available to subscribers,enrolled dependents or dependent subscribers under seven years of age;the develop-mentally disabled, regardless of age; and subscribers,enrolled dependents or dependent subscribers whose health is compromisedand for whom general anesthesia is medically necessary, regardless ofage. Nothing in this section shall require a participating health plan tocover any charges for the dental procedure itself, including, but notlimited to, the professional fee of the dentist.