Dive Brief:
- More than 60 organizations have joined the American Clinical Laboratory Association and AdvaMedDx, the division of the medical device lobby that represents manufacturers of diagnostics, in urging congressional leaders to immediately replenish a fund that allowed people without insurance to access COVID-19 testing.
- The COVID-19 Uninsured Relief Fund ceased taking new claims for testing on March 22 due to a lack of funding. The funding expiration may put “the most vulnerable members” of communities in danger of losing access to services for diagnosing new COVID-19 infections, according to ACLA, AdvaMedDx, and the other signatories of the letter.
- Without regard to their insurance status, the authors of the letter urge Congress to act right once to replenish the fund and prioritize safeguarding “Americans’ ability to access the crucial diagnostics tools they need to battle the epidemic.” The letter, which was delivered to congressional leaders on Wednesday, comes as COVID-19 instances are increasing in all but six states and Washington, D.C., and as the omicron, BA.2 subvariant is spreading throughout the country.
Dive Insight:
Early in the pandemic, lawmakers teamed together to let medical professionals request reimbursement for any testing or care given to uninsured patients with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19. However, it became clear last month that support was ending, first for testing and treatment and then quickly for vaccines, as the White House was unable to convince Congress to provide more cash.
There has been a significant reaction from the healthcare sector to the termination of the support programs. ACLA, AdvaMedDx, and other organizations impacted by the move argued for the reinstatement of the fund in a letter to Democratic and Republican leaders in the House and Senate.
“Without it, many of our country’s most at-risk communities could no longer have access to diagnostic procedures, medical care, and immunizations, putting both themselves and others at risk of infection. Additionally, without guarantees of money replenishment, providers across the nation are helpless to deal with the surge in uninsured Americans’ demand, which forces them to make choices about the long-term viability of offering COVID-19 testing and services, according to the letter.
The fund, according to ACLA, allowed its members to conduct more than 8 million tests for people without insurance last year. Congress’s willingness to restore the fund as required made it possible for the uninsured to test.
ACLA and its cosignatories have advocates in Congress. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., used a hearing on the reauthorization of FDA user fee programs to push for the urgent provision of fresh COVID-19 funding.
“We’ve got to get this done — because families are counting on us to provide communities the tests, treatments, and vaccines they need to keep people healthy, protect our hard-won progress against this pandemic, and keep our country ready for whatever comes next,” Murray said.
Opposition to providing more funding in Congress comes as other countries are scaling back and dismantling their COVID-19 testing programs. In England, free PCR and rapid antigen testing is now limited to specific groups such as residents of care homes and people working in the state healthcare service. People who develop symptoms are advised, but not legally required, to stay home and cannot access free tests.
