On Tuesday, Vice President Mike Pence announced that many insurance companies would be waving copays for coronavirus testing.
This includes many of the leading insurers such as Aetna, Anthem, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Cigna, Humana and UnitedHealth Group.
‘I’m pleased to report…that all the insurance companies here either today or before today have agreed to waive copays on coronavirus testing and extend coverage for coronavirus treatment in all of their benefit plans,’ Pence said, while seated next to President Donald Trump and insurance company CEOs.
Pence added that under the new rule, telemedicine would be covered and no American would receive ‘surprise billing.’
Vice President Mike Pence, sitting next to President Donald Trump, announced that insurance companies will be waving co-pays for coronavirus tests (pictured)
Insurance experts say this may not include cost-sharing for treatments and doctors’ visits, deductibles before your coverage goes into effect. Pictured: Pence (left) listens as President Donald Trump speaks as they meet with insurance company representatives at the White House, March 10
In addition to private insurers waving co-pays, the Trump administration has said both Medicaid and Medicare plans will cover the cost now that the test has been designated ‘an essential health benefit.’
Some states, including Colorado, New York and Washington, issued emergency orders, which demand that state-regulated insurers waive co-pays and deductibles.
However, people on the same health insurance may incur different costs depending on the type of plan and/or coverage.
‘Understanding what your benefits are regardless of what your friend or family member’s benefits may be with the same health insurance company is very important,’ Anthony Lopez, senior director eHealth, an online health insurance marketplace, told CNBC.
‘Your friend may have a $20 co-pay and your doctor visits may be a $10 co-pay, so understanding your own benefits is very important.’
Lopez said there may be other costs to consider if you are diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.
This includes co-pays or cost-sharing for treatments and doctors’ visits, deductibles before your coverage goes into effect
Lopez told CNBC that all traditional treatments, whether in a hospital or in isolation at home should be covered, but any experimental treatments may not be covered by insurances plans because it’s considered ‘standard care.’
If you have questions, insurance experts suggest calling the number on the back of your insurance card to review the benefits of your plan.
So far, about 8,000 tests have been performed despite Pence saying one million tests had been distributed. Pictured: Items from a COVID-19 test kit are displayed for a photograph at the Core Lab in Northwell Health’s Center for Advanced Medicine in Lake Success, New York, March 4
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said he can’t guarantee a coronavirus vaccine would be affordable to all Americans. Pictured: An undated photo shows the CDC’s laboratory test for coronavirus
The US is struggling to catch up and test people after being plagued by delays stemming from faulty test kits that needed to be remanufactured.
As of Monday, all 50 states had labs that could test a total of 75,000 kits ‘cumulatively,’ according to Dr Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
According to the CDC’s website, 3,698 federal tests have been performed and 4,856 public health labs tests have been done.
It’s significantly more than the roughly 1,500 figure that was reported over the weekend.
However, it’s well short of the one million kits Pence said has been distributed during a press conference on Monday.
It’s also unclear if those 8,000-plus tests have all been conclusive or if some have been inconclusive – or if there are patients still waiting for results.
On Monday, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said he didn’t know not how many people in the US has been tested for coronavirus.
Several companies are currently working on a vaccine, but health officials have said it is least a year away from being commercially available.
At a congressional hearing last month, Azar said he couldn’t guarantee the vaccine would be affordable to all Americans.
Azar, said he would want to make it affordable but: ‘We can’t control that price because we need the private sector to invest.’
Worldwide, more than 118,000 people have been infected by the virus and more than 4,200 people have died.
In the US, more than 800 people have tested positive and 28 people – in California, Florida, New Jersey, and Washington – have died.