没有健康保险的美国人现在将开始看到一些免费的新冠肺炎(新型冠状病毒肺炎)测试选项消失，即使它们显示症状。
美国最大的检测公司之一Quest Diagnostics告诉美国广播公司新闻，没有参加医疗保险、医疗补助或私人健康计划的患者现在在使用其PCR检测时，将被收取125美元(119美元+6美元的医生费用)，无论是通过在线订购试剂盒还是访问1500家Quest或提供检测的主要零售场所之一，如沃尔玛或巨鹰。
根据疾病预防控制中心的估计，2021年上半年，超过3000万美国人没有保险。
本周，支付未参保美国人新冠肺炎检测和治疗费用的联邦资金正式枯竭;任何进一步的现金注入都取决于国会通过白宫要求的数十亿美元的COVID救济仍然陷入僵局。
Quest已开始通知其客户和合作伙伴，除非国会提供额外资金，否则他们不能再指望获得未投保索赔的补偿。
对于一些主要的零售药店来说，情况仍在不断变化。
沃尔格林告诉美国广播公司新闻，还没有作出明确的决定。该公司表示，它正在等待白宫和联邦机构的进一步指导，并仍然“对确保不间断获得新冠肺炎服务的前进道路抱有希望”CVS告诉ABC新闻，它“完全有信心”在国会和政府之间找到解决方案。
但是，除非国会同意给新冠肺炎更多的资金，否则公司将不得不承担未投保客户的费用，或者开始向他们收费。
与此同时，代表CVS、Costco Wholesale、Hy-Vee和Albertsons等主要零售药店和超市的全国连锁药店协会(National Association of Chain Drug Stores)等团体一直在这个问题上敲响警钟，并推动拜登政府和国会解决问题。
NACDS在最近给白宫以及参议院和众议院领导层的信中写道:“任何分裂医疗服务的资金过早流失都有可能瓦解新冠肺炎·疫情稳健、公平的应对措施，这种措施迄今已挽救了100多万人的生命。”。
该组织写道，随着对未参保者的资助到期，提供公平获得新冠肺炎检测和治疗的支持结构“岌岌可危”，并警告说，资金削减“可能会在药房柜台造成极度混乱”，并“导致获得急需护理的差距越来越大，病人放弃护理的悲剧”
促进弱势群体公平获得新冠肺炎护理取决于确保患者及时获得所需的治疗，因为必须在较短的感染时间内采取单克隆抗体或Paxlovid等抗病毒疗法。所以，接受治疗取决于在有限的时间内接受测试，接受已经存在的东西免费治疗供应的减少。及时接受检测还取决于能否负担得起这项服务，但这并不是必然的，尤其是对低收入家庭而言。
信中写道:“由于新冠肺炎医疗项目即将到期，这种准入的丧失可能会破坏美国更广泛、更全面的应对努力，NACDS也认为，在这个关键时刻不采取行动可能会让美国倒退，让美国准备不足，并可能让美国付出更多生命的代价。”。
盖比·琼斯/彭博通过盖蒂图片，文件
2022年2月2日，一名医护人员在美属维尔京群岛圣约翰克鲁兹湾的新冠肺炎测试点进行拭子测试。
美国临床实验室协会-代表一些负责新冠肺炎诊断的领先临床实验室(包括Quest和LabCorp)的国家贸易协会-也同样提出了担忧。
“毫无疑问，在我们国家应对努力的关键时刻，这些资金的枯竭将威胁到最脆弱的美国人获得检测的机会，”ACLA政府事务和政策高级副总裁汤姆·斯帕克曼(Tom Sparkman)本周写信给参众两院的领导层。
斯帕克曼在周三接受美国广播公司采访时表示，削减未参保人员的资金是疫情进程中的两步倒退。
“我们仍处于公共卫生紧急状态。我们还没有走出困境——我们不想开始分解应对措施。我们需要保持强大和警惕，而无保险的资金是其中的一个关键组成部分，”Sparkman说。“这非常令人担忧。”
“我们不能开始卷起地毯，”他说。“没有从过去的激增中吸取教训——保持更高水平的测试激增能力，保持这些线路的温暖和可用——我认为这将是一个错误。”
Free COVID-19 tests ending for uninsured Americans
Americans who don't have health insurance will now start to see some of the freeCOVID-19testing options disappear, even if they are showing symptoms.
Quest Diagnostics, one of the largest testing companies in the country, told ABC News that patients who are not on Medicare, Medicaid or a private health plan will now be charged $125 dollars ($119 + a $6 physician fee) when using one of its PCR tests either by ordering a kit online or visiting one of the 1,500 Quest or major retail locations that offer the tests, such as Walmart or Giant Eagle.
More than 30 million Americans had no insurance during the first half of 2021, according to CDC estimates.
This week, federal funding to cover the cost of COVID-19 testing and treatment for uninsured Americans officially dried up; any further infusion of cash hinges on Congress passing the White House's request for billions more in COVID relief, which isstill stuck at an impasse.
Quest has begun notifying its clients and partners they can no longer expect to be reimbursed for uninsured claims, barring additional funding from Congress.
For some of the major retail pharmacies, things are still in flux.
Walgreens told ABC News no firm decisions have yet been made. The company said it is waiting on further guidance from the White House and federal agencies and is remaining "hopeful for a path forward that ensures uninterrupted access to COVID-19 services." CVS told ABC News it is "fully confident" a solution will be found between Congress and the administration.
But unless Congress agrees to more COVID-19 funding, it is likely companies will have to either absorb the cost of uninsured customers -- or begin charging them.
Meanwhile, groups such as the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, which represents major retail drug stores and supermarkets such as CVS, Costco Wholesale, Hy-Vee and Albertsons, have been sounding alarm bells on the issue and pushing the Biden administration and Congress to sort things out.
"Any premature lapse in funding that splinters care access threatens to disintegrate the robust, equity-driven COVID-19 pandemic response that has so far saved more than a million lives," NACDS wrote in recent letters to the White House as well as Senate and House leadership.
With funding for the uninsured expired, the support structure to provide equitable access to COVID-19 testing and treatment is "in imminent jeopardy," the group wrote, warning the funding cut "could create extreme confusion at the pharmacy counter" and "result in the tragedy of increasing disparities in access to critically needed care and patients forgoing care."
Fostering equitable access to COVID-19 care for vulnerable groups is contingent on making sure sick people get the treatment they need in time, because antiviral therapies such as monoclonals or Paxlovid must be taken within a short infection timeframe. So, getting treated is contingent upongetting tested in that limited window, to receive what is alreadya shrinking supply of free treatments. Getting tested in time is also contingent on being able to afford the service, which is not a given, especially for lower income families.
"The loss of access, as a result of expiring COVID-19 care programs, could undermine the nation’s broader, comprehensive response efforts, and NACDS agrees that inaction at this pivotal time could set the nation back, leave the nation less prepared, and may cost the nation more lives," the letter read.
The American Clinical Laboratory Association -- the national trade association representing some of the leading clinical labs responsible for COVID-19 diagnostics (including Quest and LabCorp) -- is similarly raising concerns.
"Without question, the exhaustion of these funds will threaten access to testing for the most vulnerable Americans at a critical time in our nation's response effort," Tom Sparkman, ACLA's senior vice president of government affairs and policy, wrote to House and Senate leadership this week.
Sparkman told ABC News in an interview Wednesday the funding cuts for the uninsured is two steps backward in the pandemic progress.
"We are still in a public health emergency. We're not out of the woods yet -- we don't want to start taking apart pieces of the response. We need to remain strong and vigilant, and the uninsured funding is a critical component of that," Sparkman said. "It's extremely concerning."
"We can't start rolling up the carpet," he said. "Not learning the lessons from past surges -- of keeping a higher level of surge capacity for testing, keeping those lines warm and available -- I think that would be a mistake."
