You might have heard about the latest news about treatments for COVID-19, which go beyond just getting vaccined.
One of the treatment options is using monoclonal antibodies. The federal government provides this treatment at no cost to those who are eligible to receive it to treat COVID-19.
The issue is what if a healthcare provider who administers such treatments (and it’s a treatment that requires to have the supervision of a certified health practitioner) charge administrative costs for administering it , even when the treatment itself is completely free for the patient?
First, what exactly is a monoclonal antibody treatment?
This is distinct from a COVID-19 vaccine.
Vaccines activate the body’s immune system to fight off infections. However, it can take a few several weeks before the body is able to fight off viruses (COVID-19 is the manifestation of the virus SARS-COV-2). Monoclonal antibody therapies offer your body the antibodies it requires to defend against a virus right away. They are able to reduce or even to reduce symptoms caused by COVID-19.
This is a crucial treatment and, for some individuals, essential. Monoclonal antibodies can be crucial for those who are at a high chance of developing more serious symptoms. This is especially true for seniors and people who have compromised immune systems or people who have an COVID-19 positive test that has symptoms for 7 days or less; or people who have come into proximity to someone who recently had a positive test.
While the federal government paid for this therapy in the laboratory and then distribute it to health care providers across the country, some healthcare providers are charging the patients or their insurance providers what they refer to as “administrative” costs for the administration of this treatment.
The majority of these costs are covered by Medicare or Medicaid programs. They could or might not be covered by private health insurance companies according to the specific policy’s coverage as well as their co-pays and deductibles. So, the extent to which admin costs are compensated by the carrier will depend on the specific facts about the policy’s coverage for “administrative” costs.
There’s no federal regulations that prohibit health professionals in charging an “administrative” cost. This is despite the requirement that the treatment be free for patents from the Department of Health and Human Services which oversees the distribution of the treatment. There is absolutely no restriction on the charge for administration fees.
Also, there is nothing that this columnist-mouthpiece could find in Illinois law specifically prohibiting the charging of an administrative fee for any kind of health care service that is rendered. It is only that the amount charged should be proportional to nature of the treatment. What this means is contingent on the particular instance.
Although uninsured expenses might seem insignificant for some people however, they may be a problem for other. If you have the lowest income, $300 or $600 or $800 can be an amount of rent, or a whole month’s food.
There are 20 million Americans who are medically uninsured as well as those insured, but whose insurance policies don’t pay administrative costs, these charges could discourage people from acquiring monoclonal antibodies which could provide a huge benefits, and could even prevent the possibility of dying.
American medical practices are capable of offering some of the most effective, if not the top medical care available on the planet. However, you must have the money.
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