Hospitals and labs can set their own prices, and that’s just one of the reasons why the bills can range anywhere from $20 to hundreds of dollars.
CHICAGO (CBS) — COVID-19 testing is the key to stopping the spread of the coronavirus, but test pricing can vary greatly. Hospitals and labs can set their own prices, and that’s just one of the reasons why the bills can range anywhere from $20 to hundreds of dollars. “Actually I got tested because I wasn’t feeling well,” said Julie Pautsch. Pautsch tested at an in-network clinic in the West Loop in September. Luckily she was negative, but she was surprised three months later when she received a bill in the mail for a $50 copay. “No, no. So they shouldn’t be charged for any of that if they’re in network, no copays, no deductibles,” said Karen Pollitz, a senior fellow at Kaiser Family Foundation. Pollitz explained that the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act required health covered for COVID-19 testing with no cost sharing for people covered by most private health plans, Medicare or Medicaid, but billing errors have been popping up all the time.
