Care for the uninsured who contract the coronavirus may be paid for by the federal government under the National Disaster Medical System program.
That program, activated during national disasters, pays hospitals, doctors, and other medical facilities approximately 110 percent of Medicare rates for hospital and doctor care, home health services, primary care, and rehabilitation services.
The possibility of using the program for this purpose is being discussed within the Trump administration and was raised during a congressional hearing earlier this week by the Department of Health and Human Services’ assistant secretary for preparedness.
Learn more about the National Disaster Medical System, its uses, and how it might be used to help address the cost of caring for uninsured individuals who contract the coronavirus in the Wall Street Journal article “U.S. Weighs Paying Hospitals for Treating Uninsured Coronavirus Patients.”