GET A QUOTE WITH THE TOP INSURANCE AGENCY
CLICK HERE
FIND THE BEST PLAN FOR YOU WITH THE #1 HEALTH INSURANCE AGENCY IN NEW JERSEY

covid testing

COVID Testing Federal Reimbursement Ends in NJ

New Jersey residents who don’t have health insurance can soon expect to pay for COVID-19 tests and treatment with the end Tuesday of a federal program that reimbursed providers for virus-related care.

One of the immediate implications of the expiration of the Trump-era provider relief program: People in New Jersey and elsewhere who haven’t received their COVID-19 booster shots, or even the first in the vaccination series, should do so before April 5, the last day the Uninsured Program will accept vaccination claims.

The program has already stopped accepting claims for testing and treatment. The reimbursement program was launched in 2020 with $100 billion in funding, and another $78 billion was appropriated later.

The White House’s decision to end the program — due to a lack of funding — also means that, soon, hospitals and other health care providers in New Jersey can no longer bill the government for things such as administering COVID-19 vaccines to people who don’t have health insurance.

The federal government has bought the doses necessary to vaccinate children up to age 5 for the pending approval of doses for the age group, according to the Associated Press. But the Biden administration says it lacks the funds for any additional doses that may become recommended, or for any potential need to develop variant-specific COVID vaccines.

The provider relief funding is ending as the numbers of COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths continue to decline across the country. But a new surge in cases in Western Europe has health officials and experts worried that cases may again go up in the U.S. as well.

It remains uncertain whether New Jersey has the funds or plans to cover any costs for COVID vaccines, testing or treatment once covered through federal funding. Patch reached out to spokespersons for Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration and the New Jersey Department of Health.

A state health department spokesperson emailed Patch the following statement Thursday:

“The New Jersey Department of Health’s focus during the COVID pandemic has been on equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, treatments, and testing, which enable better individual and public health outcomes. It is too soon to say what the specific impact of a lack of federal funding will be, but the Department is monitoring for changes to our provider networks — especially in our most vulnerable communities.

Federal resources play an important role in bolstering our supplies of testing, therapeutics and vaccines to help us provide residents — especially those in high-need areas — with adequate access. Federal funding helps Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and local health departments provide COVID-19 vaccines to the uninsured. Many FQHCs also received federal at-home test kits to disseminate to patients. Our state also supplies free Vault saliva-based at-home test kits and provides FQHCs some reimbursement for lab fees for medically necessary testing.”

2024