Tens of thousands of dollars: how much COVID-19 treatment can cost

Americans spent thousands of dollars on medical bills when they needed treatment for COVID-19—with or without insurance. And those who were hospitalized or caring for the sick deferred bills, credit card payments, mortgage payments and dipped into their savings to afford treatment. Writes about this Fox Business.

Photo: Shutterstock

Broadway star Nick Cordero passed away at the age of 41 after spending almost four months in the hospital fighting COVID-19. A day earlier, his wife Amanda Kluts published on social networks information about the need to refinance her home to help pay for treatment costs. A family friend created a page on the GoFundMe portal to cover Cordero’s medical expenses to raise $ 400. He received almost 000 donations, raising $ 5000.

The Cordero family is one of millions experiencing the emotional and financial burden of the coronavirus. About 15% of people who get sick with COVID-19 could end up in the hospital, according to data released in April by the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit health care organization. Data show that approximately 2 to 7 percent—or 670 to just over 000 million—of uninsured people require hospitalization.

This was the case with the 40-year-old Tim Regan from Denver, who turned to the emergency department in March, when he had a fever, chest pain and shortness of breath. He went to the emergency room when a nurse explained to him that he had symptoms of COVID-19. Regan took a chest x-ray and an electrocardiogram (ECG), but he was told that he was not sick enough to undergo a coronavirus test.

“The doctor told me he was convinced I had COVID-19,” Regan said.

Regan was worried that if he went to the hospital, he would spend his savings, so he continued to work from home while he was ill.

“I thought I had to make all the money I could in case my family and I had to go to the hospital,” he said. Regan feared he might infect his wife and child.

For an ambulance visit, Regan was billed $ 3.

"The insurance company said they wouldn't pay for it," Regan said.

On the subject: 20 million Americans raise funds online to pay medical bills

Medical bills for uninsured patients can range from $ 42 to $ 486, according to a report by an independent nonprofit organization, FAIR Health. But even those who have insurance can be saddled with bills from $ 74 to $ 310.

“Even after you undergo treatment, you will still have a lot of financial questions. The amount could be $5000, $8000 or more,” said Patrick Quigley, CEO and co-founder of Sidecar Health, which provides personalized and affordable health insurance.

“The second issue is network—if you end up in a hospital that is outside your insurance company's network, your company is not responsible for those costs—they can help, but they don't have negotiated rates with those hospitals,” Quigley said.

Recovering, who fought for their lives, receive shocking medical bills. Journalists reported the case of Michael Flora, a 70-year-old man from Seattle, who received a hospital bill worth $ 1,1 million, which included 181 pages of expenses.

Congress has allocated more than $ 100 billion to help insurance companies and hospitals deal with unprecedented treatment costs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read also on ForumDaily:

'Fragile and short-lived': experts doubt the reliability of immunity to coronavirus

Do not drink cold water: 5 tips for those who can not stand the heat

How not to get coronavirus in the elevator: CDC recommendations

Survey: Which industries most often employ immigrants in the USA

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.