PART 1
Virtual Credit Cards: The Sneakiest Write-Off You Never Agreed To

Let’s start with a riddle.

You did the dentistry.
You filed the claim correctly.
You accepted a discounted PPO fee.
And yet… you still got paid less than expected.

No adjustment posted.
No denial.
No angry phone call from insurance.

Just… less money.

Welcome to the world of virtual credit card payments, where insurance companies found a way to discount you after the discount.

The “Convenience” Nobody Asked For

Virtual credit cards (VCCs) were sold to dentists as a convenience:

• “It’s faster!”

• “It’s secure!”

• “It’s modern!”

What they didn’t emphasize (quietly sliding this under the rug) is that VCCs typically come with 2 to 5 percent processing fees.

So let’s do the math:

PPO fee for a crown: $1,000
VCC processing fee at 3 percent: $30
Your actual payment: $970

You didn’t renegotiate.
You didn’t downgrade.
You just… paid to get paid.

That’s not efficiency. That’s a second write-off wearing a business casual outfit.

The Big Plot Twist

For years, VCCs were treated as opt-out.

Meaning:

• The plan sends the virtual card.

• Your team runs it.

• Fees come out.

And if you don’t like it? You get to fight your way out of it.

But recently, something changed.

The National Council of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL) updated its model law so that dentists must now opt in before an insurer can use any payment method that includes fees, like virtual credit cards.

Translation:

“No more surprise enrollments. Ask first.”

Is this law active everywhere yet? No.
Is it momentum? Absolutely.

And it signals something important.
Dentists are finally being heard.

Takeaway from Part 1

If you remember nothing else, remember this:

If a payment method costs you money, it is not neutral. It’s a business decision someone else made for you.

And it’s time to take that decision back.

Benjamin Tuinei
Founder, Veritas Dental Resources, LLC
📞 888-808-4513
Services: PPO Fee Negotiators, PPO Fee Negotiating, Insurance Fee Negotiating, Insurance Credentialing, Insurance Verifications
Websites: www.VeritasDentalResources.com, www.VerusDental.com