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A6 U.S. NEWS
Friday 6 March 2020
Insurers will cover virus tests, but check if costs apply

By RICARDO ALONSO- With costs remaining an un-
ZALDIVAR and TOM MUR- resolved issue, Pollitz points
PHY out that the annual de-
WASHINGTON (AP) — A ductible for an employee
day after Vice President covered by workplace in-
Mike Pence assured Ameri- surance averages $1,655,
cans that lab tests for coro- and double that for fami-
navirus would be covered lies. Most deductibles reset
by private and govern- every January, and con-
ment health insurance, sumers generally don't sat-
that promise appears to be isfy theirs until May or later.
less than airtight. Deductibles are higher for
The bottom line: Medicare, individual insurance plans.
Medicaid, and "Obam- About half of all insured
acare" insurance plans will adults in the United States
cover the tests, officials worry about affording their
said Thursday. Major insur- deductible, according to a
ers also said they will cover recent poll from the Kaiser
such tests. But people with Foundation.
employer-provided insur- Research shows that peo-
ance should check with ple with deductible worries
their plan because copays Vice President Mike Pence with President Donald Trump and White House coronavirus response don't just avoid wasteful or
coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx, speaks during a coronavirus briefing with Airline CEOs in the Roos-
and deductibles may ap- evelt Room of the White House, Wednesday, March 4, 2020, in Washington. unnecessary care, said Sa-
ply. State health depart- Associated Press brina Corlette, co-director
ments will test for free. of Georgetown University's
"It's a common type of test, Doctors and insurers stress "We will take action to ease "I'm not sure what he Center on Health Insur-
just like you get a swab for that patients potentially network, referral, and prior means," said Karen Pol- ance Reforms. "They're ac-
strep throat," Seema Ver- exposed to coronavirus authorization requirements litz of the nonpartisan Kai- tually not getting care they
ma, head of the federal should not avoid getting and/or waive patient cost ser Family Foundation. "I should be getting," she
Centers for Medicare and tested because of con- sharing," America's Health can't point to anything that said.
Medicaid Services, told cerns about potential costs. Insurance Plans said in a would back that up." Plus there are an estimated
reporters on Capitol Hill. The board of directors of statement. "Essential health benefits" is 28 million uninsured people
"I think private insurance an industry group that rep- Translation: Call your insur- a term used in the Afford- in the United States.
companies, it does de- resents big insurance com- ance plan to see what par- able Care Act to describe The American Academy of
pend on coverage. But like panies said Thursday that ticular steps it's taking and broad categories of care. Family Physicians says unin-
I said, this is something that member plans will cover whether you qualify for no- Under the health law, pre- sured people should con-
is commonly covered." tests ordered by a doctor. cost testing. ventive services have to be tact their local health de-
In Washington state, where covered at no cost to the partment or a community
at least 11 people have patient. But that designa- health center for help. Call
died, Insurance Commis- tion requires a formal eval- first, in case officials need
sioner Mike Kreidler moved uation by an expert task to prepare for a visit from
to dispel doubts Thursday force, and there's no indi- someone who may have
by ordering insurers in the cation that has happened. the virus.
state not to charge copays And the coronavirus test Insured patients who are
or deductibles to people might be classified as a worried about bills should
who require coronavirus diagnostic test, not a pre- contact their doctor's of-
tests. The directive applies ventive service. Usually, pa- fice or their insurer. They
only to plans regulated by tients pay some of the cost may be able to connect
the state. for diagnostic tests, through patients with a nurse or ar-
On Wednesday, Pence copays and deductibles. range a telemedicine visit
made what's now look- It's unlikely that a patient to help decide whether an
ing like a work-in-progress will receive only one test for office visit is even needed.
seem like a done deal. coronavirus. A doctor also Insurers also may be able to
"With regard to the cost, let might order a chest X-ray lay out all options for care
me be very clear," Pence or tests for bacterial pneu- and what a visit may cost
said at a White House brief- monia or the flu, also respi- according to a patient's
ing. The Health and Human ratory diseases, depending coverage.
Services Department "has on the patient's symptoms. Insurers may also ease re-
designated the coronavirus Administration officials say quirements such as a large
test as an essential health coronavirus tests should be deductible payment for
benefit. That means by def- widely available in the next some care.
inition, it's covered in the few days, and Verma said "Our first priority is to en-
private health insurance of the government wants the sure our members have
every American as well as broadest possible access. access to the diagnostic
covered by Medicare and Responding to a question and treatment care they
Medicaid." about concerns, she said, need, and we are continu-
Some independent experts "We're going to continue ing to work with our cus-
were flummoxed, uncer- to look at that, that if it be- tomers and policy-makers
tain that the government comes an issue, I would say on this public health chal-
has the authority to order that's something we want lenge," said Eric Hausman,
blanket coverage of a to make sure people have a spokesman for the insurer
medical service. access to tests." UnitedHealthcare.q