In theory, the costs of COVID-19 testing are covered in most circumstances by insurers.
Photo: ANGELA WEISS / AFP / Getty Images
Texas resident Jaden Janak learned that he had been exposed to COVID-19 when his 75-year-old grandmother died of the virus last year. At this, Janak went to the hospital for a quick test, which he thought would be free.
Nevertheless, Janak was wrong and several months later he received two bills totaling more than $ 4,000..
“I felt very angry. I felt cheated, ”Janak said, according to CBS.
Other people have been in the same situation as Janak. Although the costs of COVID-19 testing are supposed to be covered in most circumstances, some people have received large bills for getting it done.
The first bill Janak received was for around $ 2,700, which covered ER and lab fees.. He later received one more bill, this time from the doctor, for $ 1,300.
Your insurance provider, BlueCross BlueShield of Texas, told you not to worry because they would send you a check for those bills. He eventually sent some of the money in a check that he used to pay Tulsa ER & Hospital, Janak said.
However, unbeknownst to him, a second check the insurer sent him never arrived, leaving him struggling with the hospital bill and receiving collection calls for nearly a year.
BlueCross BlueShield of Texas said the check was mailed to the address they had on file, but it was returned because Janak had moved.
The hospital said it will accept any money that Janak’s insurance company sends him and that once they receive it, he will owe them nothing more.
The problem, according to Janak, is that this charge is made directly to people, and there could be many people who do not know that they have to contact their insurer to ask for the check.
Sabrina Corlette, founder and co-director of the Georgetown University Health Insurance Reform Center, says that COVID-19 testing costs are supposed to be 100% covered by insurance companiesBut you’ve heard that some providers charge certain fees to people, sometimes called “facility fees” or “emergency room fees.”
“If you do a physical exam or they say, ‘Well, we’re going to do a flu test or other things too,’ the whole visit is supposed to be covered by the insurer,” he said.
The recommendation is that, whenever possible, you go to a pharmacy to test for COVID-19 instead of going to a hospital. Keep in mind that you should always consult a trusted medical professional before taking any action.
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