Americans with serious illnesses regularly face exorbitant and confusing bills after treatment, but things were supposed to be different for coronavirus patients.

After substantial public pressure, many large health plans agreed to temporarily waive copayments and deductibles for coronavirus hospitalizations. But more than 800 medical bills submitted to The New York Times tell a very different story.

Some hospitals are incorrectly coding visits, meaning those special coronavirus protections are not applied. Others are going after debts of patients who died from the virus, pursuing their estates for reimbursement. Even with private health insurance, they’re still being forced to pay thousands.

Here are just a few stories from families across the country:

• One coronavirus patient in Chicago spent 50 hours trying to get the coding for an MRI scan changed to show it was related to coronavirus. His insurer will pay the entire bill if that happens — but if not, he is responsible for $1,600. So far, the issue is still unresolved.
• A man whose father died of the virus last fall uses an Excel spreadsheet to organize the outstanding debts. It has 457 rows, one for each of his father’s bills, totaling over $1 million.
• One coronavirus survivor manages her medical bills in color-coded folders: green, red, and tan for different types of documents.

Even in the middle of a pandemic, insurance companies are still finding ways to deny coverage in the name of profit, bankrupting families – some of whom just lost a loved one or are still battling the after effects of Covid-19. We’re seeing firsthand that in a for-profit system, healthcare companies will exploit any opportunity to make money for their shareholders.

Some members of Congress have introduced a bill to make coronavirus care truly free – but that’s not enough. Even that kind of legislation wouldn’t protect patients with long term symptoms from Covid-19, and it wouldn’t adequately prepare us for the next crisis like this one. We need Medicare for All to truly protect all patients everywhere. No one should ever have to go bankrupt to receive life saving care – pandemic related or otherwise.

Can you share this article on social media right now to spread the word and call on Congress to make health care a human right by passing H.R. 1976, the Medicare for All Act?

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We cannot allow this industry to exploit public health disasters and bankrupt families with tens of thousands of dollars of bills for trying to survive a pandemic. It’s morally wrong – and the only solution is guaranteed health care for all.

Together we can demand justice, pass Medicare for All, and make health care a human right once and for all.

Thank you for speaking out.

Jasmine Ruddy
Organizer
Nurses’ Campaign for Medicare for All