Causes.com
| 3.10.20
Should Tests for Coronavirus Be Free?
Should insurers cover the cost of COVID-19 tests?
What's the story?
- As the novel coronavirus spreads, it remains unclear - and a source of debate - of whether the federal government will guarantee free testing.
Who's offering free tests?
- In New York, California, and Washington, lawmakers have used emergency orders and executive actions to require insurers to cover testing costs.
- New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) said:
“Containing this virus depends on us having the facts about who has it - and these measures will break down any barriers that could prevent New Yorkers from getting tested.”
- Nationally, major private health insurers including Cigna, Aetna, Kaiser, UnitedHealth, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and others have committed to waiving co-pays associated with testing.
- Additionally, Medicare and Medicaid will cover coronavirus treatment and testing.
Benefits of free testing
Gavin Yamey, a physician and professor of global health and public policy at Duke University, where he directs the Center for Policy Impact in Global Health, explained that free testing is an important means of preventing epidemic-level disease spread across the country:
- “If any of the 28 million people without insurance develop symptoms and get coronavirus tests, they could face medical bills that could push them further into poverty… The result is that people with symptoms are reluctant to get tested."
- "In surveys prior to the outbreak, around a quarter to a half of those who have health insurance say they’ve avoided seeing a health provider when they have symptoms through fear of medical expenses. If people with COVID-19 symptoms don’t get properly tested, we could have a catastrophe on our hands. Infected people could get sick and die. They could infect others. There would be avoidable suffering and a U.S. epidemic that would spiral out of control.”
Arguments against free testing for all
President Donald Trump said last week that “anyone who wants a test can get a test" but Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar later contradicted the president:
“You may not get a test unless a doctor or public health official prescribes a test. That is our medical system in the United States, in the same way that you may not get a cardiac medicine if your doctor doesn’t prescribe that.”
- U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) introduced congressional legislation Tuesday that would require insurers to cover the full cost of coronavirus tests. No Republicans have signed on as cosponsors.
- Last week, Congress passed - and the president signed - legislation to provide $8.3 billion towards combating the coronavirus. The sole NAY in the Senate? Rand Paul, who argued that any funds need to be offset:
What do you think?
As more cases are reported in more communities across the country, it’s inevitable that more people will need to be tested. Should insurers be required to cover the costs of these tests?
—Lorelei Yang and Josh Herman
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