Insurers Remain Greedy During a Global Pandemic
Statement of Melinda St. Louis, Director, Public Citizen’s Medicare for All Campaign
Note: On Wednesday, America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), the main health insurance lobbying group, contradicted President Donald Trump and said that health insurers have agreed to waive copays only for coronavirus testing, not treatment.
It’s outrageous that during the worst health crisis facing our country in decades, insurers want to make clear that they still plan to profit from the treatment of coronavirus victims.
This is just the most recent egregious example of the greed of the for-profit health insurance system and highlights why we need a Medicare for All system, which would guarantee testing and health care to everyone living in the U.S.
If costs are waived for tests, but not for treatment, people who test positive for the coronavirus may not be able to afford treatment and will continue to infect others.
There is bipartisan agreement that all tests, treatments and vaccines for the coronavirus must be made available to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay, if we want to stem this public health emergency. The federal government must intervene to require that all private insurance providers eliminate any out-of-pocket costs for both testing and treatment.