Americans are getting hit with unexpected bills for Covid-19 tests and hospital visits, and regulators say the problem often lies with how doctors are billing.
Insurers and the federal government promised to make Covid-19 tests and services free to those with health insurance, but researchers say gaps remain. Federal rules only cover health services explicitly billed for Covid-19 that are deemed necessary by a doctor. Those who seek a test without a good enough reason could be left paying.
“You need that individualized determination by a licensed health professional that the test is medically appropriate,” Sabrina Corlette, a research professor ...