The transition of children’s Medicaid from fee-for-service (FFS) to managed care (DWP Kids) has brought up many questions; IDA developed an FAQ to address some of these questions, including:

A: No, you will not have to see both kids and adults. While there is a non-discrimination obligation for participating Iowa Medicaid and DWP providers, you may select to be designated as a DWP adult provider, a DWP kids provider, or both.

The full FAQ is available on the IDA website. A membership townhall with more information for Medicaid providers from IDA contract attorneys, Adam Freed and Katie Cownie, is being scheduled. If you have specific questions you would like addressed during the townhall, please submit them to IDA staff. More information will be shared in a future newsletter.

The IRS has extended the income tax filing deadline to May 17 to assist those struggling due to the impact of COVID-19. This extension only applies to federal income tax returns; estimated quarterly tax payments are still due on April 15.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) extended the deferral period for all disaster loans, including COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), until 2022. Recipients of an EIDL will not need to begin payments until 2022.

The SBA's Paycheck Protection Program application deadline remains March 31. However, ADA is working on the federal front to encourage legislation that will extend the deadline beyond this month, citing errors and glitches during the application process that have delayed many applicants. IDA will provide updates if legislation passes extending the deadline.

For insureds who have not already completed the Online Risk Management Course, now is a chance to reduce your professional liability premium.

In this online course, dentists are presented with the latest claim information and real-life experiences of colleagues in order to enhance patient care and reduce the risk of a malpractice claim. This course is available at no additional charge to McFadden Insurance Services insureds, and participants may earn up to 4.5 CEUs upon course completion. Learn more about course benefits on the IDA website. Please remember, your IDA membership also provides a premium discount on your insurance coverage.

Last week, Governor Reynolds announced all Iowa adults will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine as of April 5, so long as Iowa's vaccine allotment increases as expected in the coming weeks. This news comes after President Biden's assurance that all Americans would be eligible for vaccination by May 1.

As a reminder, IDA members have exclusive access to the Patient Return: Talking with Your Patients About COVID-19 Vaccines toolkit to help dentists play a vital role in educating patients on the importance of vaccination.

Earlier this month, the Fulfilling Iowa's Need for Dentists (FIND) project announced its 2021 recipients, including IDA member Dr. Carolyn Duong, who serves the Muscatine and West Liberty communities. The FIND program provides funds for student loan repayment in exchange for recipients agreeing to practice in underserved communities and dedicate at least 35 percent of their patient visits to those enrolled in Medicaid over a five-year period.

"I applied to the FIND program because I knew that I wanted to live and work in Iowa long-term and was already committed to helping the underserved," Dr. Duong said. "The FIND program seemed like a great opportunity to help me keep this mission and help pay back my student loans at the same time."

After serving seven years as the Iowa Dental Board Executive Director, Jill Stuecker announced she plans to leave the Dental Board on March 26. IDA thanks Jill for her commitment and years of service to the dental field in Iowa. Jill has been a great leader, especially during the past year, as she navigated the entire dental community through various challenges that were presented as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Jill’s steadfast leadership and dedication to the profession will leave a lasting impact on the dental community in Iowa, and we will be forever grateful to her for her contributions.

We celebrate Jill’s successes over the past seven years and wish her all the best in her future endeavors.