ARIZONA, USA — Federal funding to help those who are uninsured get COVID testing, vaccines and treatments will start to run out next week unless Congress passes new funding.
One Valley doctor said this could impact hundreds of patients his practice serves each week.
Helping the uninsured
In a time of uncertainty, it’s been help that Dr. Tyler Southwell has wanted to provide.
“We see about 230 uninsured patients on average every day, seven days a week – with testing, consultation, treatment and vaccination services,” Southwell said.
Southwell said since the beginning of the pandemic, he and his clinic has expanded to help serve those who needed health care.
Now, Southwell said his practice has grown to dozens of employees and three clinics.
“The most important of which is in South Phoenix, where we see about 230 uninsured patients on average every day, seven days a week with testing, consultation, treatment, and vaccination services,” Southwell said.
Southwell said he was notified two days ago that the federal program that reimburses providers to help patients with COVID will start to run out next week.
The Provider Relief Fund is distributed through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) from pandemic relief money.
“We're in a situation where we're in a bit of a lull, but you can see in Europe, the new BA2 variant is causing another surge,” Southwell said. “It will be back more people are going to die, we still need the things that we've learned we can do.”
What’s at stake
The White House released a fact sheet this week detailing what could happen in funding doesn’t come from Congress to replenish the programs.
Come Tuesday, the White House warns the money to reimburse doctors and other medical providers helping uninsured patients with testing and treatment will run out.
In a few weeks on April 5, the White House said providers would no longer be reimbursed for administering the COVID-19 vaccine to uninsured people.
The federal government will also no longer be able to purchase more doses of monoclonal antibodies, according to the White House.
The White House also warned the federal government would also not be able to secure enough vaccine booster doses for everyone.
“What are people going to do when they hear they’re no longer going to get this care for free? They’re going to avoid getting care and more people are going to get closer to being unsavable,” Southwell said.
In Congress’ hands
It’s on Congress to pass more funding.
12 News contacted all of Arizona’s representatives and senators for comment on the issue.
In emailed statements, Reps. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) and Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.) both called on Congress to get funding secured for the COVID-19 treatments, testing and vaccines.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic, I have been adamant that Americans—especially people from lower-income households—should not have to foot the bill for COVID-19-related medical expenses. Only by keeping this commitment and investing in worldwide vaccination can we end this pandemic,” Gallego said in part.
“I’m disappointed that Congress hasn’t yet reached a deal on how to fund the next steps of our efforts to defeat COVID,” Stanton said in part.
Last week, The House was set to include COVID relief funding in a broader spending bill but excluded money to fund pandemic aid.
A spokesperson for Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) said Grijalva, "was prepared to vote in favor of the supplemental funding" and would still support the additional money.
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), sent a letter to President Joe Biden questioning the need for additional funding, after Congress has already allocated trillions of dollars to battle the pandemic, and asked for accountability of how the money has been spent.
Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) said in a statement to 12 News he would continue to support more funding for COVID testing, treatments and vaccines.
However, Gosar said he wanted to see more transparency surrounding the COVID vaccine.
“The pharmaceutical companies must keep accurate records of side effects and release that data more timely with updates so that patients are not duped, mislead or simply uninformed about the potential risks. It is my expectation that leadership will allow debate and amendments to any funding bill where consumer protection and transparency will be highlighted and ensured,” Gosar said in part.
In response to 12 News’ inquiry about the additional funding, Sen. Mark Kelly’s office released the following statement:
“Senator Kelly will keep working in the Senate to ensure Arizonans have access to vaccines, boosters, and testing so that parents can continue to safely send their kids to school, our businesses can stay open, and we can grow our economy.” – Kelly spokesperson
Until it’s done in D.C. Southwell said he would keep going.
“I have faith in this country. And I am not going to shut my doors next week. And pray that we figured this out. I’m going to lose money every single day until I can’t do it anymore,” Southwell said.
What if funding isn’t allocated?
As it stands right now, the White House said providers can no longer submit claims to be reimbursed for testing and treatment for COVID come Tuesday, and for providing vaccines come April 5.
A spokesperson for HRSA said providers are generally reimbursed $40 for providing the vaccine.
However, the spokesperson for HRSA said COVID-19 vaccines will still have to be given to people at, "no out-of-pocket cost" to recipients because of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Requirements for COVID-19 Vaccination Program.
The spokesperson recommended individuals order at-home tests from the federal government at no cost through COVIDtests.gov. Adding, health centers that treat patients regardless if they can pay or not, can be found at the HRSA Find a Health Center tool.
12 News contacted UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Humana, Cigna and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona about how the costs could affect their members.
Only Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona responded to 12 News’ questions via email, saying in a statement:
“We meet regularly to align benefits with our members’ needs. Our benefit designs are compliant with all state and federal requirements and are not driven by federal funding. We will continue to provide all mandated benefits for COVID testing, vaccines, and treatments as we have since the beginning of the pandemic,” Paige Rothermel, Chief Operating Officer of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona said in the statement.
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