The ability of uninsured Pennsylvanians to be tested for coronavirus was an early concern in the fight against covid-19.
Now those without health insurance can be tested for free.
Gov. Tom Wolf has announced that federal stimulus funds will be used to reimburse providers who test uninsured patients.
Access to testing was a problem identified by the Pennsylvania COVID-19 Response Task Force on Health Disparity, along with the general problem of health care access among minority groups.
“People who don’t have insurance could be less likely to be tested because they know they’re going to face a bill,” said task force chair Lt. Gov. John Fetterman.
“Nothing should stand in the way of access to testing for any Pennsylvanian, and this allocation removes any obstacles for both uninsured patients and healthcare providers.”
Task force member Steve McFarland said slowing the spread of the virus relies on increased testing in all populations.
“The uninsured working poor in our underserved communities need to know that they can walk into a facility and be tested, just the same as someone who has insurance,” said McFarland.
“Health is a public matter, and many of our uninsured residents have essential, public-facing jobs that they have to report to every day. They absolutely deserve to have access to the testing that can keep them, their families, and their communities safe while not having to make a false choice between their health and a paycheck.”
For those who do test positive, Pennsylvania’s Federally Qualified Health Centers are providing care for free or on a sliding scale.
