Hospitalized COVID-19 patients may have paid $4000 in out-of-pocket costs despite waivers - Daily Mail

Despite waivers implemented by insurance companies for treatment related to COVID-19 for much of 2020, some hospitalized patients still paid thousands in out-of-pocket costs, a new study finds.

Some privately insured patients still faced bills of up to $4,000 and Medicare Advantage patients were looking at $1,500 in out-of-pocket costs, a new study finds.

A majority of private insurance patients, 71.2%, faced out-of-pocket costs related to COVID-19 treatment despite cost waivers by insurance companies (right).

Of the 1,377 private insurance patients, 981, or 71.2 percent, paid an average of $788 in out-of-pocket costs.

But nearly five percent of those on private insurance were billed a large amount for facility services with an average of $3,840 in out-of-pocket costs.

About two percent of patients on private insurance ended up paying over $4,000 out-of-pocket, mainly because of the facility costs.

These are the most expensive services, and researchers note that they were covered within the out-of-pocket waivers for a large portion of insurance plans.

Other ancillary and professional charges patients faced includes use of an ambulance, services provided by a clinician and other miscellaneous claims such as the use of medical equipment.

Some of the out-of-pocket charges patients faced could have also been the result of administrative errors.

While Medicare Advantage patients paid less, many also faced out-of-pocket charges despite the cost waiver