Administration Says It Will Reimburse Hospitals For Treating Uninsured Coronavirus Patients

[appalachiablue]

Last edited Sat Apr 4, 2020, 12:22 AM - Edit history (1)

Source: The Hill

(2 hrs. ago). The Trump administration announced Friday that the federal government will reimburse hospitals treating uninsured patients for the novel coronavirus using funds allocated in a the recent relief package passed by Congress.

"Today, I can so proudly announce that hospitals and health care providers treating uninsured coronavirus patients will be reimbursed by the fed government using funds from the economic relief packed Congress passed last month," President Trump said at a White House briefing. This should alleviate any concerns uninsured Americans may have seeking the coronavirus treatment," he added.

The announcement came after the administration said it would not reopen ObamaCare enrollment in order for uninsured Americans to purchase health care on federally run exchanges. After being pressed on the decision, Trump indicated Thursday that he was considering a plan to cover costs of medical care for uninsured Americans.

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said Friday that the administration would use a portion of the $100 billion allocated for health care providers in the $2.2 trillion CARES Act, which Congress passed and Trump signed last week, to cover the costs...


Read more: http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/administration-says-it-will-reimburse-hospitals-for-treating-uninsured-coronavirus-patients/ar-BB128VSP?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=HPCOMMDHP15

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*** MORE ***

- Biden Tells Trump: Stop The 'Pettiness' And Reopen Obamacare, The Daily Beast, April 3, 2020
https://www.thedailybeast.com/biden-tells-trump-stop-the-pettiness-and-reopen-obamacare

Trump must also withdraw his support for a partisan lawsuit that would undo the Affordable Care Act and take health coverage away from almost 20 million Americans,” Biden said.

...“During this outbreak, when health care coverage is more important than ever, Donald Trump is refusing to give those who have been uninsured access to the best resource we have: the Affordable Care Act’s marketplaces,” Biden said in an exclusive statement to The Daily Beast, in which he called it “critical” that Trump reverse his opposition to reopening the Healthcare.gov federal health care exchange for a special enrollment period.

“This is no time to put pettiness and ideology above helping those who are in the greatest need,” Biden said, calling the spread of the novel coronavirus “the worst public health crisis in generations”—one for which the president failed to prepare the nation, “despite warning after warning.”

Biden’s statement reflects the fervent desire among many Democrats to make health insurance expansion a policy priority as the coronavirus continues to spread across the country and dislodges millions of people from their workplaces. Trump has faced mounting pressure to allow for a special enrollment period so that individuals who don’t have insurance can purchase it...

[MontanaMama]

1. Believe it when I see it,

I heard Azar say it today, however, the MF has never paid what they owed anyone ever. He has shown us who he is. Take THAT to the bank.

[area51]

15. +1 n/t

[oldsoftie]

27. Well, since its not HIS money he may very well let it go thru.

He wont pay his own bills, but i'm sure he has less reservation spending taxpayer money. Even if it IS a good use!

[SheltieLover]

2. This isn't The Onion?

Sure...dump will pay, just like he pays states for his security detail. (I'd tell him to stay his ass home if I were a gov!)

[qwlauren35]

3. Some pros, some cons.

It's a diversion of funds, but it helps people.

Probably one of the few good things he's done in 3-1/2 years.

Somebody put him up to it. He would have never thought of it himself.

[cstanleytech]

4. What about helping cover everyone? After all insurance wont cover everyones medical bills for this

and people do have copays.

[oldsoftie]

28. Our ins. company has dropped all copays. Even for non-Covid charges.

We were very surprised.

[Hoyt]

5. I'm not going to vote for trump if he personally finds a cure, but glad the MFers are

recognizing this is serious and it’s government’s primary responsibility to protect everyone. Should have been done much earlier.

In November, we need Democrats to win and make sure we are ready for this, or something similar, next time. Next time, it might be a terrorist biological attack.

[Lock him up.]

14. That or the Sixth Great Extinction...

... which is 12 years away if the Russiapublicans ever win elections again.

[yaesu]

6. when the chips are down all of a sudden everyone depends on socialism. nt

[keithbvadu2]

8. Sounds like socialism. Extreme Obamacare.

By Presidential decree, if you will.

[NoRoadUntravelled]

7. The Check's in the Mail

[DUar17]

34. I hope it doesn't bounce...

[bringthePaine]

9. and now this vacant promise just in from the world's biggest deadbeat...

[LudwigPastorius]

10. Riiiiiight...

Not bloody likely.

[Ford_Prefect]

11. When I see all of the invoices marked Paid In Full I'll believe it. Until then this is more Hype.

While other direly needed material aid is withheld or redirected away from states and institutions in immediate need?

This is headline misdirection plain and simple.

[BigmanPigman]

12. Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuure...

now where is that really cheap bridge I heard is for sale? The check's in the mail?

[Hassin Bin Sober]

13. So does this mean the hospitals won't be billing the patients at all?

Somehow I get the feeling the hospitals will still try to squeeze blood out it the turnips. Old habits die hard.

[Absolute Kelvin]

16. Right-wing Lie from Right-wing Rag

We all know Trump's history of "reimbursement."

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

17. "I'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamberder today"

A Trump always pays his debts.

Well, maybe not "always" ...

[Sgent]

18. This helps red states

that haven't expanded Medicaid. States that expanded medicaid would have gotten paid anyway (retroactive applications are part of Medicaid).

It really screws with hospitals in Blue states with precarious financing -- because taking care of medical patients doesn't pay well compared to taking care of surgical patients and hospitals have had to cancel all/most of surgery.

[FakeNoose]

19. +1000 good point!

It's the red states that are worried about hospitals going under. Chump is reassuring them they can can keep their hospitals "for-profit" and stay in business during CV-19.

This is just one more way of sticking it to the Libs.

[paleotn]

20. I wouldn't take this at face value....

He will weasel out and deny he said it or they will implement some way to screw the people who need help. I wouldn't trust IQ45 or any rethuglican if they said the sun rises in the east. They're up to something evil...always.

[zanana1]

21. HE'S DOING SOMETHING NICE?

It must be the apocalypse.

[Sapient Donkey]

32. As with everything with Trump, don't be surprised when he backtracks on this

I hope that doesn't happen, but it only takes someone to whisper the "right" words into his ears to get him to decide he doesn't want to do this.

[turbinetree]

22. While at the same time he has lawsuit against the ACA....................

November 3, 2020 cannot get here fast enough................

[sakabatou]

23. Why should anybody believe the administration?

[iluvtennis]

24. HHS Secretary Alex Azar said admin will use part of monies allocated from 2.2 trillion CARES Act

...from the article posted above

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said Friday that the administration would use a portion of the $100 billion allocated for health care providers in the $2.2 trillion CARES Act

So, it looks like they're diverting from the money set aside to provide additional PPE and other equipment for healthcare providers.

That's effectively not helping anything as they are robbing Peter to pay Paul.

Just open up the ACA.

[AKing]

25. Guarantee that they will reimburse at a dime on the dollar or less.

[NCDem47]

26. Until they don't

Which will be 30 seconds after the first claim arrives.

[HardLineDem]

29. Socialized health insurance at last!

That's what it is, isn't it? Let everyone know.

[Demonaut]

30. they will add the cost of the treatment to your taxes

you'll pay for it

[amcgrath]

31. How will the reimbursement be calculated?

Perhaps the administration will finally consider the justification of being charged $30-$60 for an aspirin ?

[DENVERPOPS]

33. Yet another sleazy and corrupt hand out to Corporations.

This will be nothing more than a "For Profit Hospital Bailout". More corporate welfare.......