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While privately insured people are eligible to have the cost of coronavirus testing covered 100% by their health plan, that doesn't mean that insured patients won’t be asked to pay up front for the cost of testing or that they can easily be reimbursed.
Most Medicare Advantage enrollees are in plans that have waived cost sharing for COVID-19 treatment, and many other beneficiaries in traditional Medicare have their cost sharing covered by supplemental insurance. This blog post discusses the 6 million Medicare beneficiaries without supplemental coverage who would face out-of-pocket costs if they require treatment for COVID-19.
As the coronavirus continues to spread, the number of people on Medicare admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 related illness is expected to rise. We analyze how much Medicare beneficiaries could pay out-of-pocket for an inpatient hospital admission under traditional Medicare (assuming no supplemental coverage) or Medicare Advantage plans.
Drew Altman looks at the numbers for COVID-19 treatment, and why it may soon be necessary for Congress to waive out-of-pocket costs for treatment.
New federal legislation will require most private health plans to cover testing for the coronavirus with no cost sharing. Some states have adopted similar requirements for insurers they regulate, and many private insurance companies will voluntarily expand coverage for testing. However, some private coverage will not be subject to these requirements. To date, fewer changes have been adopted or considered with respect to treatment for complications from the disease. This brief reviews current coverage standards for private health plans and how these may change in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This data note captures February 2020 poll findings on the public's worries about and experiences with unexpected and surprise medical bills.
When it comes to family budget concerns, unexpected medical bills top Americans’ list of worries, with two-thirds (65%) of the public saying they are at least somewhat worried, including 35% who say they are “very” worried, the latest KFF Health Tracking Poll finds.
In this post for The JAMA Forum, Larry Levitt examines both the Democratic candidates' proposals and the Trump administration's record on lowering drug prices, which remains a top issue for the public with bi-partisan support.
A new issue brief looks at the prevalence of potential surprise medical bills based on patient diagnosis, emergency visits, and type of inpatient admission.
In an Axios column, Drew Altman previews new data highlighting that people with critical health issues are especially vulnerable to these bills.
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