No one knows how Trump's promise of free coronavirus treatment for uninsured patients will be fulfilled

Donald Trump.
(Image credit: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

Hospitals and patients have been left in the dark as to how the White House plans to cover COVID-19 treatment costs for uninsured Americans, despite previous assurances. The Trump administration is still trying to finalize its plan, while struggling to answer questions like how to determine if a patient qualifies for funding, Politico reports.

President Trump announced in early April that that the federal government would reimburse hospitals that treat people without health insurance. The White House is reportedly determined to follow through on its promise, but that's little comfort at the moment for people who are wondering whether they'll be on the hook. “The thing that is totally missing is any explanation for patients,” said Sara Rosenbaum, a health law professor at George Washington University. "If you don't have to worry about getting care because the hospital is supposed to care for you, and the hospital bills you, what then? There has been absolutely no communication to the public."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
Explore More
Tim O'Donnell

Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.