Key TakeawaysThe federal government has set aside money to cover COVID-19 testing for people without insurance, but not every testing site offers the free testing.Out-of-network tests can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars. Ask if the lab is in your insurer’s network, and if you get an unexpected bill, appeal to your insurer right away.Advocates hope that Congress will issue new rules next year to make access to free testing easier, and reduce the likelihood of any surprise bills.

Key Takeaways

The federal government has set aside money to cover COVID-19 testing for people without insurance, but not every testing site offers the free testing.Out-of-network tests can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars. Ask if the lab is in your insurer’s network, and if you get an unexpected bill, appeal to your insurer right away.Advocates hope that Congress will issue new rules next year to make access to free testing easier, and reduce the likelihood of any surprise bills.

With cases of COVID-19 spiking across the country, testing for the virus is likely to go up. So, what’s that going to cost you?

Legislation passed at the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak required that insurers cover both rapid (saliva) and PCR (nose swab) testing for free with no copayments or deductible requirements,according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. The caveat is that you have to have been exposed or have symptoms of the virus. Employer-required tests don’t qualify for the covered testing.

For People Without Health Insurance

Many places are offering free testing to people without insurance, and the federal government has set aside money to pay for that, saysCheryl Fish-Parcham, Director of Access Initiatives at Families USA, a national, nonpartisan consumer healthcare advocacy organization, based in Washington, D.C.

Fish-Parcham advises looking online at your local or state health department’s website to learn where free testing is offered to people without insurance or contact a local community health center. “Many community health centers that generally provide services on a sliding fee scale are now providing free testing to people without insurance,” she tells Verywell.

COVID-19 Claims Reimbursement

For People With Health Insurance

The only plans excluded are short-term plans that cover limited health needs. Tests are generally covered if a person has been exposed to someone with the virus or is exhibiting symptoms.

What This Means For YouMost communities offer free testing. Call ahead to find out if you can make an appointment and what the safety rules are.

What This Means For You

Most communities offer free testing. Call ahead to find out if you can make an appointment and what the safety rules are.

Paying Out-of-Pocket

Ask an Infectious Disease Expert: Which COVID-19 Rapid Tests Are Most Accurate?

The costs partly depend where you live and the type of laboratory where the test is processed, according toJoshua Sharfstein, MD, MPH, Vice Dean for Public Health Practice and Community Engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. While private healthcare plans are required to pay the full price posted online for any given COVID-19 test, even if it is out-of-network, bills can remain high if no price is posted online.

Why would you get an out-of-network test?If you suddenly have to be tested quickly—say, if you’re urgently needed to help care for a parent or child—an out-of-network testing cite might offer the fastest testing and the shortest lines. Public health experts say they expect testing to be less restrictive under the Biden administration.

Why would you get an out-of-network test?

If you suddenly have to be tested quickly—say, if you’re urgently needed to help care for a parent or child—an out-of-network testing cite might offer the fastest testing and the shortest lines. Public health experts say they expect testing to be less restrictive under the Biden administration.

Dealing With Surprise Bills

Some patients have been billed thousands of dollars for COVID-19 tests when the labs doing the testing were not in their insurers’ network. On November 16, the Association of Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), the trade association representing many health insurers,reported the results of a member surveythat found that the average cost of a COVID-19 test for someone paying out of pocket is $130, but that out-of-network labs were billing more than $185 for nearly half of diagnostic tests.

The New York Timesfound that about 2.4% of COVID-19 tests billed to insurers left patients responsible for some portion of payment, though in three cases the paper reported on, the fees were returned or cancelled. It’s totally within your right to appeal any insurance charges you didn’t expect or that seem excessive.

AHIP has several recommendations for lowering the costs of COVID-19 tests that are likely to be discussed when the next session of Congress begins in January:

The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit ourcoronavirus news page.

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