On January 17, 2024, the Chair of the House Energy & Commerce (E&C) Full Committee and the Chair of the E&C Health Subcommittee, Representatives Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA-5) and Brett Guthrie (R-KY-2) respectively, sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting a study on the vertical integration and consolidation of the dental and vision benefits industries. The letter requests that GAO conduct an analysis on the concentration of dental and vision insurers on a local, state, and national level, assess how dental benefit managers and consolidation impacts consumers prices, and analyze vertical integration among dental insurers and benefit managers. The study is intended to help E&C leadership ascertain how the consolidation of dental and vision insurers impacts care delivery, financial incentives, and patient access. 

The letter is available here.

Impact on General Dentistry: Consolidation and vertical integration are increasingly common in the dental space and health care industry at-large. As independent and community dental offices are forced to close due to financial and workforce constraints, patient access and choice are also becoming more limited. This study would promote transparency and allow Congress to regulate dental insurance more effectively, which would help ensure accessible and high-quality dental care.