March 24, 2022 – According to The Wall-Street Journal, those without health insurance will begin getting bills for COVID-19 treatments and testing after the Biden administration starts winding down a federal program that reimburses providers for virus-related care for the uninsured. Officials say that the program is being shut down because it is currently running out of funds.
This program, which was started under the Trump administration, is designed to pay hospitals and other providers for administering COVID vaccines and treatment to people that are uninsured. Hospitals are urging lawmakers to approve more funding for the program to continue to protect the uninsured.
Some states will be able to provide testing and vaccines for free, like Viriginia. A spokesperson for Sen. Mark Warner told NBC4 Washington that “Uninsured Virginians will still be able to access testing and vaccines free of cost through their local government, thanks to strong funding provided by Congress to state health departments, federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics.”
David Wroten, executive vice president of the Arkansas Medical Society, told the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, “”If this money runs out right now, we are going to have a lot of people in the state in a bind. If we want physicians to be able to test and treat patients who do not have insurance, this money is critical to be able to do that. There are only two options: providers either absorb the cost or don’t provide the service.”