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

(Image credit: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

published 20 April 2020

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."

Hospitals are similarly perplexed, and some are holding off on billing patients until they receive word from Washington, despite facing their own financial strains because of the pandemic. It appears the federal government is aware of the need to improve its messaging campaign, so everyone involved is knows that free coronavirus care is indeed the goal. "We have an eye to actual individuals, and don't want them to be afraid to seek care," a federal official told Politico, on condition of anonymity. Read more at Politico.

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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.