It's not the kind of news anyone wants to hear when over 10 million people are filing for unemployment benefits, but here we are: even if your testing for COVID-19 is free, the care you get might not be.
It was nearly a month ago that Rep. Katie Porter successfully pushed the CDC chief Dr. Robert Redfield to confirm that COVID-19 testing would be free for all Americans, not just those with insurance. Before that cases surfacing in social media suggested testing was being done at 3- to 4-digit prices. Porter's own estimate put the price tag at $1,331.
Possibly the most infamous case considered an uninsured lymphoma patient whose fears of being infected were ignored until finally a test confirmed she had contracted the novel coronavirus. Danni Askini was charged $34,927.43 for testing and hospitalisation. Not just unable to pay it, the woman claimed she didn't even know a person who would have that kind of money.
While her story happened in February and March (that is, before free testing was secured), people are still getting billed for merely trying to find out whether they have the virus or not. While using drive-thru testing locations will not cost you, some visits at a healthcare facility may prove expensive, depending on your insurance status and whether it's an in-network or out of network visit, plus the number and kind of procedures used.
