There’s no doubt the cost of diagnosing and treating COVID-19 is high. Data collected by FAIR Health found costs that ranged from approximately $37,000 to more than $93,000 per patient, depending on age, location and whether the patient had comorbid conditions that increased the risk of complications from the virus.
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S., Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid Response and Economic Security (CARES) act. Part of that act provided emergency funding for hospitals. If a hospital accepted the funding, it was prohibited from billing patients for fees above its in-network reimbursement rate even if the care received was out of network. With the CARES act expiring July 31, 2020, unless it’s later extended by Congress, employees may face larger medical bills if they contract the virus.
