Across the country people tested for COVID-19 are finding unexpected sudden bills.
The U.S. Government promised Americans they wouldn't get these bills.
TESTED FOR COVID 19 ARESUDDENLY ENDING UP WITH BILLS.BILLS THE U.S.GOVERNMENT PROMISED AMERICANSTHEY WOULDN'T GET.SCRIPPS REPORTER CHRIS CONTETAKES A CLOSER LOOK AT WHY SOMEINSURANCE COMPANIES AREN'TDOING...WHAT'S RIGHT.LONG BEFORE AN EPIDEMIC SWEPTACROSS THE GLOBE, ANNA DAVISABEL WAS ALREADY SPENDING HERDAYS TRYING NOT TO GET SICK.SHE IS 25 YEARS OLD AND HASFEELS TO LIVE WITH A CHRONICILLNESSNATS - VIDEO OF GETTING TESTEDIT WAS EARLY MARCH AFTERRETURNING HOME FROM A TRIP WHENANNA STARTED FEELING SICK.EVEN AFTER TAKING A TERRIFYINGTRIP TO THE DOCTOR ANNAWAS TOLD THERE WERE NO TESTS INTHE STATE OF WEST VIRGINIAWHERE SHE LIVES.THIS TIME COVID19 TESTING ISVERY LIMITED AND IS NOT WIDELYAVAILABLE TO MOST PATIENTS.")000952 I WAS GOING FROM BEINGSUPER SWEATY, TO COLD.I DEVELOPED A COUGH ON THETHIRD OR FOURTH DAY INITIALLYSHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH THE FLU.WHEN THAT DIDN'T GET BETTER ..ANNA WAS GIVEN A COVID TEST.IMAGINE HER SURPRISE WHEN ABILL FOR $536.46 SHOWED UP AFEW WEEKS AGO.001834 I THINK IT SHOWS AT THEEND OF THE DAY IT'S AHEALTHCARE INDUSTRY THAT IS NOTFIRST ABOUT HEALTH // CONTESTANUP SO WHAT'S HAPPENINGHERE?
THE CARES ACT MANDATESCOVID TESTS BE COVERED BYINSURANCE COMPANIES.BUT AS AMERICANS ARE FINDINGOUT, THERE ARE LOOPHOLES.MANY TIMES THE TESTS AREN'TBILLED CORRECTLY.OR IN ANNA'S CASE, SHE WASTESTED BEFORE THE LAW WENTINTO EFFECT.001946 MOST PEOPLE WHEN THEYGET A MEDICAL BILL, THEY'REFRUSTRATED, THEY'RE ANGRY ANDDON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ANYTHINGABOUT IT, AND THAT'S WHATINSURANCE COMPANIES ARE RELYINGON 000009 COVID 19 BILLING ANDMEDICAL DEBT IS GOING TO BE ANIGHTMARE CRAIG ANTICO IS THECOFOUNDER OF RIP MEDICAL DEBT.HIS CONCERN IS THAT MANY OF USWILL JUST ASSUME COVID TESTSWERE COVERED.AND THEN MONTHS LATER END UPWITH A BILL.000500 PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TOFEEL THE PRESSURE OF PAYINGTHESE BILLS UNTIL ALMOST A YEARFROM NOW NATS AS FOR ANNA, HERINSURANCE COMPANY EVENTUALLYADMITTED A BILLING ERROR ANDREVERSED THE CHARGE.002159 AS THE DISCOURSE MOVESPAST THE FEARS WE HAD, THEY'LLBE LESS PRESSURE FOR THEINSURANCE COMPANIES TO BE HELDACCOUNTABLE / ACCOUNTABILITY,SO THAT PATIENTS AREN'TSUFFERING MORE THAN THEYALREADY ARE.IN BOSTON, I'M CHRIS CONTEREPORTING.HERE'S WHAT YOU SHOULD DO...IF YOU THINK YOU'VE BEENCHARGED IN-CORRECTLY.DON'T IGNORE OR LET YOURSELFFORGET ABOUT THE CHARGE.ASK FOR AN ITEMIZED COPY OFYOUR BILL SO YOU CAN SEE EACHCHARGE INDIVIDUALLY.YOU MIGHT SPOT MOREERRORS.THEN TRY TO GET SOMEONE FROMYOUR INSURANCE COMPANY ON THEPHONE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.AS A LAST RESORT...CONSIDER FILING A COMPLAINTWITH THE NEVADA DIVISION OFINSURANCE.
Across the country people tested for COVID-19, suddenly ending up with bills, bills the U.S. Government promised Americans they..