2024 Legislative Priorities

Your IDA advocacy team is focused on two main issues during the 2024 Iowa legislative session: dental insurance reform and increasing dental Medicaid rates.

Dental Insurance Reform

IDA introduced legislation this session to address two dental insurance issues impacting Iowa dentists: virtual credit cards and network leasing.

Virtual Credit Cards: Some dental insurance companies require claim payments be accepted in the form of virtual credit cards. A virtual credit card is a one-time use payment, which includes a credit card number, expiration date, and security code, that a provider inputs into their credit card processing system to obtain the claims payment. The provider must pay the credit card transaction fees, which can be as much as 7%. The IDA-sponsored legislation prevents dental insurers from only offering virtual credit card payments and requires them to offer alternative payment methods, such as checks or direct deposits.

Network Leasing: Network leasing occurs when a dental insurer sells access to their dental network to a third-party dental insurer. The issue with this practice is that it is often done without the knowledge or consent of the dentist.  Without network leasing protections, dentists are forced to comply with different terms, conditions, and fee schedules with no prior knowledge or opportunity to negotiate. The IDA-sponsored legislation requires dental insurers to make dentists aware of network leasing activity and provide the opportunity to opt-out without retribution by the contracting insurer.

Increase Medicaid Reimbursement

Increasing Medicaid reimbursement remains a top priority for the IDA this legislative session. Due to a lack of increases over the last two decades, dentists in Iowa are facing tough decisions on whether they can continue participating in the program. The low reimbursement rates have made it extremely difficult for dentists to cover their costs of providing care.

The IDA is looking at different approaches to secure additional funding for the program. Looking across the nation, we are exploring innovative, non-legislative solutions to help fund increases in Iowa’s dental Medicaid program. However, we will continue to advocate for a direct increase through state appropriations.

 

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