Federal funding for COVID-19 testing and treatment of uninsured Americans has dried up as of two days ago.
Health Services and Resources Administration (HSRA) also announced coverage for COVID-19 vaccines for the uninsured will no longer be available after April 5.
That affects 11.4 million Americans U.S Rep. Al Green, who represents District 9 in Texas, said.
“We have a lot of people at risk,” Green said. “We need to do something about it, and if Congress doesn’t do something about it then shame on us.”
Green said his fellow members of Congress failed to pass a $15.6 billion dollar appropriations bill in the budget last week which would have funded HSRA COVID-19 Federal Insurance Program.
Now there’s a supplemental bill up for discussion.
“That bill was thought to have gone on the floor last week but it did not,” the congressman said. “My assumption is when we get back to Washington, this will be one of the first things that we’ll take up.”
Dr. Joseph Gathe Jr. is an infectious disease specialist in Houston. He said this reduction in federal funds means people without insurance will have to pay out of pocket for COVID-19 testing, vaccines, and treatments like monoclonal antibodies, which they won’t be able to afford.
“It’s going to impact the whole community because if you’re underinsured, and you get COVID and you can’t get care, you’re going to potentially spread that to the community so it becomes a public health concern,” Gathe said.
Gathe said he’s concerned about the widespread implications of uninsured Americans no longer having access to COVID-19 testing, vaccines, and treatment.
“If you came into me today and said I have COVID, I need to go to the hospital and I’m uninsured, I’d have to refer you to the county system and that’s our safety net. And our safety net can only hold so much.” Gathe added.
Providers like Emergent Testing, which has 12 locations in Texas and Georgia, drafted a letter to Congress and started an online petition to urge lawmakers to keep COVID-19 resources carefree and available.
Representatives with the Houston Health Department and Harris County Health Departments said persons without insurance can continue to come to them for a free COVID test or shot but not treatments.
“[At] the Houston Health Department, we focus on our role, and our role traditionally as an agency is to stand in the gap for people who don’t have insurance,” said Scott Packard with the Houston Health Department.
Similar to the Harris County Health Department, the City of Houston has funding allocated toward those services.
“We do have some CDC funding and some county funds that help fund those operations,” said Jennifer Kiger with the Harris County Health Department.
Gathe says it’s a bandage on a cut only Congress can heal.
“We overwhelm the system when we have these things available now we’re gonna overwhelm the system when the things that we need are not going to be available and it’s going to have a tremendous impact if we get any type of surge.”
Green said he expects Congress will discuss the supplemental appropriation bill when they return to Washington.