Insurers, SWFL health providers offering free coronavirus testing and telemedicine

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump announced that insurance companies have cleared the way for anyone who needs to get tested to do so – without fear of what it’s going to cost.

What Trump announced goes hand in hand with what Lee Health is doing to make it easy to get a coronavirus test if necessary.

“We want people to get tested.” That was the message from Vice President Mike Pence regarding major insurance carriers waiving testing fees for the coronavirus.

“Not everybody has health insurance, said, Jill Zenger of Fort Myers. “…and some do not have good health insurance so I think that would be fabulous.”

Zenger is on medicare, which was already sure to cover testing and treatment costs for the virus.

But for others, like Kathy Champagne, she says, “In this day and age it’s just so hard to just make ends meet.”

Knowing she could get help if she started to develop symptoms puts her more at ease.

“And that eases a lot of the financial burdens on families and the older generations that live paycheck to paycheck,” Pence added. The insurers have also agreed to cover telemedicine.

Lee health announced it was dropping telehealth fees on Monday in an effort to prevent any further spread of the virus, particularly in environments where people are already sick.

A patient with coronavirus is currently in isolation and being treated at Gulf Coast Medical Center. Lee Health says they are screening everyone who comes through the door at all their hospitals.