By: Kevin Brady, Esq.

In response to the mounting need to flatten the curve and slow the spread of COVID-19, the federal government has taken overt action in the passing of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. The act effectively removes the financial barriers and facilitates access to testing, by requiring group health plans of all shapes and sizes to waive cost-sharing for expenses related to COVID-19 testing.

The federal mandate to waive all cost-sharing on testing is significant, but may not be enough to address the potential costs that patients may ultimately bear. The testing was free, but those who test positive now need care; and that care may be significantly costlier than one may think.

According to a brief prepared by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), even those patients with health insurance could face significant financial pressure following the treatment of COVID-19. For purposes of the study, KFF did a deep dive on the potential costs of treatment for COVID-19 by researching data on the treatment of pneumonia, and the out-of-pocket costs that individuals with health coverage may expect.

For those patients with serious cases, extended inpatient hospitalization will likely be necessary. According to KFF’s analysis, the average cost of care (split between the health plan and the patient) for cases with major complications or comorbidities was $20,292. A patient with no complications can expect to pay around $1,300 (in cost-sharing alone) for treatment.

Another concern for patients is that we are still early in the year and most plan participants have not even come close to reaching their deductibles or out-of-pocket maximums. This fact alone may drive the average cost to patients even higher. Even those who may not owe a significant amount in cost-sharing may still be burdened by balance bills on out-of-network claims or even surprise bills on in-network claims. Needless to say, the potential cost of care for the treatment will likely be significant on health plans and patients alike. It will be interesting to see if further guidance from the federal government or major carrier will address this issue.

While most of us are impacted in some way- social distancing, work from home, restrictions on travel- it is important that we do not lose sight of those individuals who will require significant care as a result of COVID-19 and ensure that the potential costs associated with that care are addressed in kind.