N.J. coronavirus update: State waives COVID-19 testing fees for about 2M residents

Taken from NJ.com

By Matt Arco | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

March 10, 2020

Gov. Phil Murphy announced Tuesday the state will waive fees for testing and testing-related services for the coronavirus for about 2 million New Jerseyans as the number of people who tested positive in the state continued to rise and after he declared a state of emergency.

The wavier from fees includes testing done at an emergency room, urgent care or a doctor’s office, Murphy said.

It covers a wide swath of residents, including state workers and teachers, people on the state’s health exchange, as well as children up to 19 who are in the state’s Children’s Health Insurance Program and uninsured people who are eligible for charity care.

The governor’s office said it includes New Jersey’s roughly 800,000 teachers and state workers, as well as the more than 1 million people who purchased private health insurance through the marketplace created by the Affordable Care Act.

The office did not immediately have a total figure for everyone else who would qualify.

“As we continue to strengthen our efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, we must ensure that our residents are focused on their health and not on the cost of medically necessary testing,” Murphy said in a statement. “These actions bolster our state’s coordinated response and preparedness efforts by eliminating affordability concerns for New Jerseyans.”

The governor also said he encouraged private employers to consider similar measures.

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, the state’s largest insurance carrier, AmeriHealth New Jersey already made similar announcements about waiving the costs for testing.

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