Funding for free COVID testing ending, some local sites will still aid uninsured
Millions of uninsured Americans may find it harder to find a free COVID-19 test. Federal funding for free COVID testing has run out.
Congress has yet to pass a new COVID-19 funding bill. The halt in accepting COVID testing claims for uninsured people started at midnight on Tuesday. There are not enough funds to cover COVID tests and treatment bills for uninsured people.
The White House released a fact sheet last week outlining the consequences of the lack of COVID funding if Congress does not take action.
White House officials said, "the Uninsured Program will stop accepting new claims for testing and treatment due to lack of sufficient funds. Providers will no longer be able to submit claims for providing these services to uninsured individuals, forcing providers to either absorb the cost or turn away people who are uninsured, increasing the disparity in access to critically needed health care and putting additional burdens on safety net providers."
Riverside County's deputy public health officer is Dr. Shunling Tsang said the uninsured still have options for now.
"We're still trying to make sure we can provide testing, but we don't know how long we can do that for without additional funding," said Tsang. "We always worry about lack of access for everyone equitably in the county."
If you don't have insurance and want to get COVID tested for free, you can to the county's COVID testing website to find locations near you still providing free tests.
Desert Healthcare District will also be supplying free COVID tests through the end of the year.
"The Desert Healthcare District does have means and funds to continue testing through other sources. So we will continue to provide tests," said program assistant Sergio Rodriguez. "What the Desert Healthcare District is continuing to look for is funding not only from our federal government agencies but from all other agencies that can contribute."
Desert Healthcare District provides a calendar with various free testing sites scheduled across the valley.
You can also still order your free rapid at-home tests from the federal government on their website if you haven't done so yet.
"So there's a lot of, you know, questions around well, can we get additional funding and that that requires Congress to act," said Tsang. "So right now we are waiting to see but all of us are trying our best to see how we can preserve free COVID testing for everyone in our community."
Along with not enough federal funding for testing, on April 5, uninsured Americans will no longer be able to claim free COVID vaccines.
"The April 5 date is actually a little bit more nervous for me, because we know at that point, free vaccines go away," said Dr. Tsang. "So, you know, for me, as a physician, I'm actually more nervous about that going away than the testing because we want to make sure everyone can protect themselves and their loved ones."
Similar to COVID testing, the county said it will do its best to keep providing free vaccines for as long as it can. And Desert Healthcare District said it will provide free vaccines through the end of the year.
