Delta Dental Of California And Its Affiliates Deliver Additional Financial Assistance In Response To COVID-19

SAN FRANCISCO, July 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- 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

About Delta Dental of California

Since 1955, Delta Dental of California has offered comprehensive, high quality oral health care coverage to millions of enrollees and built the strongest network of dental providers in the country.

The Delta Dental of California enterprise includes its affiliates, Delta Dental Insurance Company, Delta Dental of Pennsylvania, Delta Dental of New York, Inc., and provides dental benefits to more than 36 million people across 15 states and the District of Columbia; and includes the national DeltaCare USA network. All are members of the Delta Dental Plans Association, based in Oak Brook, Illinois, the not-for-profit national association that collectively covers millions of people nationwide.

For more information about Delta Dental of California, please visit www.deltadentalins.com

For media inquiries, contact:
Tom Sarris
Director, Corporate Communications
Delta Dental of California
[email protected]

SOURCE Delta Dental of California

Related Links

http://www.deltadentalins.com