To Date, More Than $600 Million Committed Through Personal Protective Equipment Reimbursements, Customer Premium Relief, Provider Loans and Other Financial Assistance Initiatives to Support Providers, Members, Employees and Communities
As demand for oral healthcare continues to rebound from the initial impacts of COVID-19, Delta Dental of California and its affiliates announced this week additional financial assistance initiatives that include premium relief for customers and reimbursements for dental providers to help cover the cost of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other expenses.
“Since the pandemic began, Delta Dental has committed to delivering more than $600 million of financial assistance,” said Mike Castro, president and CEO of Delta Dental of California. “And we aren’t done yet. We are focused on doing our part to help maintain the stability of the oral health care system, care for our customers and providers, and ensure the well-being of our employees and communities.”
As part of this commitment, on June 22 Delta Dental started giving its providers an increased reimbursement which will be temporarily added to evaluation and consultation procedure codes to help offset PPE and other expenses. Additionally, the company is providing various forms of premium relief to customers and members to help them manage some of the financial challenges created by the pandemic.
Added Castro, “With six months left in the year, it’s impossible to predict how much lost dental care will be made up for as communities re-open, or how additional complexities created by COVID-19 may impact the industry. We are committed to leading through this challenge and will continue to seek ways to support our 70,000 providers and the 36 million members who have chosen Delta Dental.”
In its coordinated response to the impacts of the pandemic, Delta Dental has delivered comprehensive relief across its enterprise through the following initiatives:
Providers:
- A $200 million loan program through a partnership with Lendeavor that offers contracted Delta Dental network providers various forms of economic assistance including business loan refinancing and working capital, interest subsidies, and principal deferment
- A supplemental reimbursement program that temporarily gives Delta Dental contracted network providers funding to use flexibly toward additional expenses for personal protective equipment (PPE) and other needs associated with safely reopening their practices
- Delaying the implementation of previously announced fee structure adjustments for certain specialty providers from July 1, 2020 to January 1, 2021
Customers and Enrollees:
- Extending premium grace periods and creating policy accommodations for furloughed workers to help keep as many Americans insured as possible
- Offering various forms of premium relief to help customers and members manage some of the financial burdens created by the pandemic
Employees:
- Providing up to six weeks of paid Emergency Time Off (ETO) and four weeks of unaccrued sick and vacation time to help employees manage impacts created by the pandemic
- Providing COVID-19 testing and treatment at no cost to employees and their covered dependents
Communities:
- $11 million to date in funding by the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation to organizations across Delta Dental’s 15-state service area to benefit at-risk populations impacted by COVID-19
