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COVID Testing and Bill Resources by State

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Tips for Dealing with Medical Bills from COVID Testing

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act and the CARES Act were implemented to respond to COVID-19, in part by mandating free COVID-19 testing. While most COVID tests are not resulting in bills to the patient, there are stories of patients who have received bills in association with their COVID test due to misbilling or loopholes. If you receive a bill for a COVID test, the tips below may help you resolve the bill. 

For a full list of tips about medical bills, click here. 

Tips for Avoiding Surprise Medical Bills From COVID-19 Testing

  1. Try to get tested at a “Free Testing Site.” Free testing sites are typically government run and lead to no-cost COVID testing. See the list at the bottom of this article to find eligible sites in your state.

  2. Stay in-network. Going out-of-network often leads to insurance billing and processing headaches, even with the new “No Surprise Billing” legislation. 

  3. Call your medical insurance at the number on the back of your insurance card to ask how your visit may be covered before you go. 

Tips for Dealing with COVID-19 Testing Medical Bills After You’ve Received a Bill

  1. Review your Explanation of Benefits (EOB) to understand what wasn’t covered. Typically exclusions are listed in a neat, itemized way on your EOB so you will be able to see exactly where the problem is.

  2. Call your insurance company to ask why you are being billed. Talk to a representative who can provide you with clear answers, and ask them what you or they can do to resolve it, especially if there appears to be a misbilling. Document the conversation by writing down the representative’s name, the representatives comments and actions, and a call reference number (ask for this toward the end of the call). 

  3. Call your provider’s office and speak to a billing manager. Ask them to review your claim and the insurance company’s EOB (they send one to you and one to your provider). Ask them what they can do to resolve the non-payment. Document the conversation by writing down the manager’s name and their comments and actions. 

    1. If the insurance representative suggested that the office misbilled, ask the office manager to resubmit the claim with correct codes. 

  4. If the previous steps do not result in resolution, write a written appeal to your insurance company and the provider with the documentation attached. 

    1. Send the appeal to the doctor’s office directly to their address or email.

    2. Call your insurance company and ask what their avenue for appeals is. They will be able to provide you with the details (including address and timeline). 

Links to COVID-19 Testing by State