1/03/07

PMI Dental Health Plan, a prepaid dental plan offered nationally, has merged with its parent company, Delta Dental of California. The merger was approved by the states Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC).

While the immediate effect of the merger will be transparent to customers and enrollees, company officials say it will streamline administration and eliminate duplicative processes.

PMI, based in Cerritos, Calif, has operated under a separate health care service plan license since its acquisition by Delta Dental in 1985, offering and administering the DeltaCare USA prepaid dental product in California. PMIs role as national administrator of the DeltaCare USA program shifts to Delta Dental of California, whose subsidiary Delta Dental Insurance Company will serve as a third-party administrator for its marketing affiliates and other Delta Dental member companies in the District of Columbia plus 17 additional states Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, and West Virginia.

The merger did not require any staffing or administration changes, as the two companies integrated functions and responsibilities.

Plan benefits for PMIs 1.2 million DeltaCare USA enrollees will remain unchanged as a result of the merger, as will all related group and dentist contract and processing policies.

[Business Wire, January 1, 2007]