A graduate student in West Virginia was concerned she had come down with COVID-19. But she couldn't get tested for it until her doctor ruled out other things, a process that cost a bundle.
Anna Davis Abel is a 25-year-old graduate student studying creative writing at West Virginia University in Morgantown. She is insured through an Aetna plan the university offers.WVU Medicine charged Davis Abel $2,121 for the visit and testing, according to records. Aetna initially paid $1,584.54 for these services. Abel was responsible for the copay, the remaining amount of her deductible and coinsurance of 20%. In total, she owed $536.46.
This reality means some medical providers, like Davis Abel's doctor, must rule out other respiratory diseases before ordering a COVID-19 test, leaving some patients with a difficult choice. Do they seek medical attention and risk a high medical bill? Or do they forgo care altogether? Davis Abel's appointment was on March 11, making her ineligible for the protections offered by the federal laws. By then, however, Aetna had pledged to cover COVID-19 testing without cost sharing. The hospital system then sent Davis Abel a bill for the remaining amount.
It also said that Davis Abel represents a"unique" case and that it is not aware of another member submitting claims for services they needed to obtain a COVID-19 test. The insurer said it would waive additional testing related to the coronavirus if the provider deemed those services necessary.
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