Katie Porter Drags CDC Chief Redfield Into Saying ‘Yes’ to Free Coronavirus Testing After Brutal Grilling
Congresswoman Katie Porter (D-CA) put Robert Redfield through an intense round of questions on Thursday, the grand result of which was the Center for Disease Control director saying coronavirus diagnostic tests will be made free for all Americans.
During Redfield’s appearance before Congress, Porter started her time by showing the math for how expensive it can be for citizens to pay out of pocket for emergency room visits and medical testing. From there, Porter noted that many Americans fear these prohibitive costs (even without the extra price of treatment), which will keep them from being tested and receiving care before they have a chance to spread the virus any further.
“We live in a world where 40 percent of Americans can’t even afford a $400 unexpected expense. We live in a world where 33 percent of Americans put off medical treatment last year, and we have $1,133 expense just for testing for the coronavirus.”
When Redfield said that he wants all Americans tested for Covid-19, not just those who can afford it, Porter directed him to a series of CDC federal regulation codes that would allow him to “authorize payment for the care and treatment of individuals subject to medical exam quarantine, isolation and conditional release.”
From there, Porter asked if Redfield would invoke that authority to make diagnostic testing “free to every American regardless of insurance?”
Redfield hedged on his answer, which Porter called “not good enough” and repeatedly asked him if he would commit to freeing up testing. After Porter pointed out multiple times that he has the existing authority to do so, he eventually said “yes” to operationalizing the payment system to make it happen.
“Excellent,” Porter responded. “Everybody in America hear that. You are eligible to get tested for coronavirus and have that covered regardless of insurance.”
The exchange between Porter and Redfield comes after President Donald Trump claimed in his Oval Office address that health insurance companies would “waive all copayments for coronavirus treatments, extend insurance coverage to these treatments, and to prevent surprise medical billing.”
Trump made numerous false statements the administration had to roll back after his speech, and America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) has announced that their waivers apply to the costs of tests, not treatments.
Watch above, via C-SPAN.
