Why Coronavirus Testing Should Be Free For All Americans

When Osmel Martinez Azcue returned to the US after a trip to China and developed a flu-like illness, he did exactly the right thing. He went to a hospital in Miami to get tested for the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Thankfully, he was clear of the virus—it was regular, seasonal flu. But imagine his shock when the bill arrived for $3,270 and his insurance company said he’d have to pay $1,400 out of pocket. Stories like this one are playing out all across America. 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. Azcue’s experience shows that even those like him who have insurance could be hit with eye-watering test costs. 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. This is a remarkably clarifying moment in the contentious debate about the American healthcare system. Those of us who favor a single payer system, like Medicare for All, are finding that CO...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized COVID-19 health ideas Source Type: news