It is now free to be tested for COVID-19 in the U.S., but for people who are diagnosed with the virus, the cost of treatment can be shocking. Even if you’re insured, the deductible and copay can add up to several thousands of dollars. And if you’re uninsured, the financial toll is even uglier. That’s what Boston resident Danni Askini learned when she got a $34,927.43 bill after receiving treatment at a local emergency room for COVID-19.
Askini was uninsured and about to take job in Washington, D.C. when she was diagnosed. Her move to Washington is on hold while she recovers from the virus, but now she faces the incredible challenge of having to pay off thousands of dollars in medical debt if Medicaid won’t cover her bill. “I was pretty sticker-shocked,” Askini tells TIME staff writer Abigail Abrams. “I personally don’t know anybody who has that kind of money.”
To make matters worse, Askini’s husband, a software engineer at a small company, was recently laid off. Askini’s story emphasizes all the ways COVID-19 exposes the fragmented U.S. health care system, Abrams says. If you have Medicare or Medicaid, your bills could be different from someone who has private health insurance, and private health insurance plans can vary from person to person depending on the company and the deductibles and copays on your plan. Click here for Abrams’s helpful FAQ on the issue.
TODAY’S CORONAVIRUS OUTLOOK
Hong Kong reported its highest single-day rise in COVID-19 cases today, a signal of a potential second wave of the virus. Meanwhile, global numbers have increased past 263,000, and more than 11,000 have died as of this afternoon. Italy reported 627 more deaths on Friday, the biggest daily increase in the country to date, according to the Associated Press.
Countries all over the African continent are enacting tough measures in an attempt to stop the spread of the virus (Egypt and South Africa have confirmed the highest number of cases as of this afternoon—256 and 202 respectively). Earlier today, African airlines canceled international flights and some announced foreigners would not be able to disembark, according to the AP.
Here’s every country with over 800 confirmed cases, as of March 19, 8 PM eastern time:
Meanwhile in the U.S., officials announced that the country would begin restricting travel across the southern border with Mexico starting midnight tonight, and that anyone crossing the border illegally or to claim asylum would be returned to their native countries immediately. The Treasury Department pushed the due date for income tax filing from April 15 to July 15.
In New York, now the hardest-hit state in the country, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced today an executive order mandating that 100% of the state’s workforce stay at home, excluding essential services. Exempt workers will include those employed in shipping, media, warehousing, grocery and food production, pharmacies, healthcare providers, utilities, banks and related financial institutions, according to the Governor’s office.
Here’s how COVID-19 has spread in the U.S. so far:
All numbers are from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering, and are accurate as of March 19, 8 PM eastern time.
WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW
What Pregnant Women Should Know About the Virus
The data so far are limited, but TIME talked to a number of experts to identify what we do know for sure. Read more here.
Congress Continues to Debate Relief Legislation
Two relief packages have already been signed into law by President Donald Trump, and a third is being debated in Congress. TIME’s D.C. team breaks down what you need to know. Read more here.
Millennials, Please Take This Seriously, WHO Urges
“This is one of the most serious diseases you will face in your lifetime, and recognize that and respect it,” Dr. Bruce Aylward, senior adviser to the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), tells TIME. Read more here.
How West Virginia Almost Lost Its First COVID-19 Patient’s Test Results
On March 17, West Virginia reported that James Virgil was its first case of the virus, becoming the 50th state to confirm a case. But the state nearly lost the test results. Carolyn Vigil, James’s wife, tells the story in her own words. Read more here.
Trump Keeps Calling It the ‘Chinese’ Virus
A photographer at a White House press conference yesterday snapped images of Trump’s notes, which showed the “corona” part of coronavirus scratched out and replaced with “Chinese.” This is just the latest in a long history of Americans blaming other countries for disease. Read more here.
Senator Under Fire for Selling Stock Before a Big Coronavirus Announcement
In a recording obtained by NPR, Richard Burr, a Republican Senator from North Carolina, can be heard warning well-connected constituents of the severity of the virus days before officials began implementing measures against the spread. Investigative news outlet ProPublica reported that Burr then unloaded up to $1.7 million in stocks while he received daily briefings about the threat. Read more here, and here.
Thanks for reading. We hope you find the Coronavirus Brief newsletter to be a helpful tool to navigate this very complex situation, and welcome feedback at coronavirus.brief@time.com.
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