Insurance Basics: Home
Thanks to a law passed in the spring of 2020, most Americans can be tested for COVID-19 for free. But that law didn’t make treatment for the virus free. Medical services for COVID-19 can be costly and sometimes run into tens of thousands of dollars. Whether or not you’ve been diagnosed with COVID-19, you can take steps now to understand your protections under the law and manage the costs of your treatment.
Your plan contracts with a wide range of doctors and other practitioners, as well as hospitals, labs, radiology facilities, pharmacies and other providers. These are the providers in your “network”. Each of these providers has agreed to take your plan´s contracted rate as payment in full for services.
Your plan´s rules and costs may differ for some types of care. Knowing these rules can help you control your costs and get the right care in the right setting.
Healthcare proxies and advance healthcare directives can help you plan your care if you ever lose the ability to communicate clearly.
A cancer diagnosis can change your life. While cancer care will differ by individual circumstances and the type of cancer, identifying ways to cover the costs associated with cancer can help you plan. This guide will help you to understand your options to pay for cancer care. It will explain the costs of cancer care, describe commercial and government coverage, and give you some tips on other ways to plan for the costs of your cancer care.
To look up the estimated costs for behavioral health services (including mental health and alcohol and/or drug services), go to our home page, fairhealthconsumer.org, and click on Medical and Hospital Costs.
Do You Need Help?