ADA Lobbies Congress On Third Coronavirus Bill

The ADA is lobbying Congress on a third legislative package in response to the coronavirus pandemic by asking lawmakers to include provisions on how to assist dental practices and other small businesses facing economic burdens.

In a March 18 letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., ADA President Chad P. Gehani and Kathleen T. O'Loughlin let the lawmakers know that the Association is doing its part to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 by asking dentists nationwide, as of March 16, to postpone non-urgent procedures and only treat emergency dental care cases over the next three weeks. This letter was also sent to every Member of Congress.

“Doing so will allow us to care for our patients in great need and alleviate the burden that dental emergency cases would place on hospital emergency departments,” Drs. Gehani and O’Loughlin said. “Unfortunately, many dental practices simply do not have the reserves or cannot accommodate the dramatic reduction of cash flow that is required during this partial shutdown."

To directly contact your legislators to ensure they include programs helping dentistry within these bills, please visit the ADA Legislative Action Center at ADA.ActionCenter.org.

The ADA is asking Congress to consider the following additional legislative proposals to address COVID-19:

• Easing and expediting the process for businesses to apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans through the Small Business Administration.
• Deferring all monthly payments on federal student loans for all health care professionals, including dentists, without penalty.
• Deferring or eliminating payroll tax matching and payments, as well as deferring quarterly income tax payments for small business owners.
• Providing additional tax cuts for small businesses, which could include expanding Section 199A to include all small businesses regardless of income.
• Applying all telehealth de-regulation to virtual check-ins for dental evaluations (teledentistry) and support payment for these services within both Medicaid as well as commercial plans.
• Waiving an Employer's Annual Federal Unemployment Tax for 2020 for small business employers with under 50 employees or freeze the current rate.
• Requiring all business interruption insurance policies to cover national emergencies including those related to diseases such as COVID-19.
• Allowing for a onetime withdrawal without penalty from an individual’s 401k.

For a comprehensive FAQ to help explain how the federal government is responding to the coronavirus pandemic, visit the Ways and Means website.

Please visit ADA.org/virus for the latest ADA information.