Topline:
Federal funding for COVID-19 tests and treatments may dry up after the national emergency ends on May 11. That could make it difficult for California residents without insurance to get low-cost tests and shots. Los Angeles County health officials say they are trying to fill the gap.
What happens in May? In a Twitter thread in January, White House COVID-19 response coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha wrote that the change won’t happen immediately. “On May 12, you can still walk into a pharmacy and get your bivalent vaccine for free,” he wrote. Eventually, “we will transition from U.S. government-distributed vaccines and treatments to those purchased through the regular healthcare system, the way we do for every other vaccine and treatment,” Jha said.
What will change in L.A.? California’s COVID-19 emergency will end Feb. 28. For now, L.A. County sites will continue to provide vaccines, therapeutics and test kits for free to those who are uninsured and underinsured. We are seeking clarification about how long that will last. County health officer Dr. Muntu Davis said “There’ll be some stuff that shifts to the health care stream … that’s the shift that we have to do, while at the same time, trying to maintain what we need for those who are uninsured or underinsured to ensure that they get that as well. I do think it’s a question of, if this is in the private industry, how much does it cost and do we have the funding to pay for it?”
What if I have health insurance? People with private health insurance or those enrolled in Medi-Cal will still be able to access vaccines, tests and treatments from a licensed provider without any out-of-pocket costs until Nov. 11. After that, insured people may be charged for those services…
Read the full article here
