COVID-19 Updates: WSDA sends letter to OIC requesting insurance modifications, PPP funding still available.
On behalf of dentists and patients in Washington, WSDA sent a letter to the Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) to request the following insurance modifications due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These modifications will help address the rising costs of providing care during the pandemic, accommodate the increase for needed care due to state-mandated delays, and ensure all Washingtonians are able to access the benefits they pay for.
- Account for Rising Costs of PPE
- Prohibit Fee Bundling
- Suspend Limited Provisions on Frequency
- Remove Restrictions on Scaling & Root Planing
- COVID-19 Testing Reimbursement
Read OIC Letter
Paycheck Protection Program Funds Still Available
In the second round of PPP funding, smaller lenders and smaller businesses are leading the way. Since the SBA resumed processing PPP loans April 27:
- 2.2 million loans have been approved, which surpasses round one
- $175 billion in loans have been approved
- The average loan size is $79,000 compared to $206,000 in round one
Locally in Washington, the following PPP loans have been approved in round two so far:
- Washington: 50,288 loans worth $5 billion
- Rounds 1 & 2 Combined: 80,709 loans worth $12 billion
Approximately $135 billion in PPP funding is still available for small businesses. Find a lender and visit ADA’s SBA loan resource page.
Dental Benefits: Handling Eligibility Verification
With high rates of unemployment it is likely that patients reporting for dental appointments may have recent changes in their employment situation. Learn more from the ADA here.
Dental Quality Assurance Commission (DQAC) Meeting on Friday, May 8
DQAC will hold a special business meeting by webinar on Friday, May 8 from 1:00-3:00 PM. See the meeting agenda and webinar instructions here.
Please continue to check
wsda.org/COVID-19 and its
Clinical Guidance and
Business Impacts pages for additional resources and updates.
Sincerely,
Dr. Dennis Bradshaw
WSDA President