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Volume 1 Issue 5
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CDA
at
W
ork
THE ELECTRONIC FUNDS
TRANSFER
IMBROGLIO
What is the latest news on the EFT
situation in Canada?
Insurance carriers realized a few years ago
the magnitude of their cost savings if they
moved away from paper payments for all
facets of their operations. They have done
so with other occupations and now they’re
looking at dentistry.
The problem is that each company is making
the transition in its own way. Some use a
very good model from the outset. Others
start with a model that doesn’t work too
well and has to be refined. Finally, other
companies are trying to force dentists to use
EFTs by imposing fees for payments made
by cheque.
CDA feels that carriers don’t realize the
burden this places on some dental offic-
es. When your practice deals with several
insurance companies that each handle EFTs
in a different manner, it can be burdensome.
We need to find a way to simplify the land-
scape, making sure that EFTs are all sent in a
consistent manner and that reconciliation of
payments is convenient.
Have dentists contacted CDA about
this issue?
Yes, many have. The reasons why some den-
tists can’t easily switch to EFTs are quite valid.
It can be as simple as living in a remote
community where Internet access is
very expensive and not reliable, or their
office is not equipped to allow for EFTs.
We’ve also had one dentist with health
issues who cannot work at the computer
for long periods of time. Dentists have
the right to decide how they’re going to
manage their own office. Carriers should not
attempt to force the adoption of their model
by imposing unjust fees on dentists.
What is CDA doing on behalf of
Canadian dentists?
Every time we hear of a carrier wanting to
switch to EFTs, we encourage them to first
open a dialogue with us. We alert them to
the problems we’ve experienced when oth-
er carriers have introduced EFTs. These prob-
lems can be related to a process deemed to
be too complicated, registration that doesn’t
allow dentists who work out of several offic-
es to receive payment where they need to
receive it, or confidentiality issues where the
wrong people see the wrong information.
Sometimes, it’s simply a problem that the
system has been designed with the payor in
mind, not the dental office.
What has been the overall response
of the carriers?
Overall, their willingness to adapt has been
quite good. The problem resides in the few
cases where certain carriers are willing to
compromise on some aspects, but want to
keep unilaterally imposing EFTs. That simply
doesn’t work for all Canadian dentists.
We’re currently in discussions with one
carrier that is adamant about wanting to
impose fees to dentists who receive paper
payments. That same company acknowl-
edged that some dentists cannot receive
EFTs and therefore created an exemption
system, meaning that dentists can apply to
be dispensed from paying the fee. In CDA’s
Frustration is growing
among dentists as some
insurance carriers
now insist on sending
payments through
electronic funds
transfers (EFTs), and
charging fees to dentists
who opt for paper
cheques and account
statements. Dr. Benoit
Soucy, CDA director of
clinical and scientific
affairs, explains the
issue.
Benoit Soucy
Every time we hear of a carrier wanting to switch to EFTs, we encourage
them to first open a dialogue with us. We alert them to the problems we’ve
experienced when other carriers have introduced EFTs.