What You Need to Know About Coronavirus Testing

What You Need to Know About Coronavirus Testing

THE VIRUS HAS LEFT MANY WITHQUESTIONS.SUCH AS... HOW DOES THE TESTWORK... AND WILL YOU HAVE TOPAY FOR IT?

OUR KATIEKELEHER WENT TO WORK TOANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS FORYOU.

KATIE?M/K, A PATIENT HAS TO MEET ACERTAIN CRITERIA FOR THEIRDOCTOR TO RECOMMEND GETTINGTHE TEST DONE.

IT'S A FAIRLYEASY TEST ON THE PATIENT.

ASFOR THE COST - THAT DEPENDSON YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE.THE OKLAHOMA STATEDEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SAYSTESTING ON A PATIENTCONSISTS OF GETTING A NASALOR ORAL SWAB.

IT IS THENSENT TO A LAB IN OKLAHOMACITY.

STATE COMMISSIONER OFHEALTH GARY COX SAYS THEYCAN DO UP TO 300 TESTS ADAY.

AND HAVE RESULTS IN 6TO 8 HOURS.

BUT MANY WONDER- WHO WILL PAY FOR THETESTS?

THE CENTERS FORDISEASE CONTROL PROVIDESTHEN FOR FREE AT PUBLICLABS.

HOWEVER, YOURINSURANCE MAY REQUIRE ACO-PAY FOR YOUR DOCTOR'SVISIT.

PRIVATE LABS AREALSO STARTING TO BE ABLE TOTEST.

HEALTH INSURANCECOMPANIES ACROSS THE NATIONARE WORKING TO COVER COSTSFOR PATIENTS.

AETNA SAYS ITWILL WAIVE CO-PAYS FORDIAGNOSTIC TESTING.

BLUECROSS AND BLUE SHIELD SAYSIT WILL NOT REQUIREPREAUTHORIZATION AND WILLNOT APPLY CO-PAYS ORDEDUCTIBLES FOR TESTING.UNITED HEALTHCARE SAYS ITWILL WAIVE CO-PAYS,COINSURANCE AND DEDUCTIBLESFOR TESTING.

EVEN WITH THEGROWING CONCERN OVERCORONAVIRUS - STATEEIDEMIOLOGIST LAURENCEBURNSED TOLD 2 WORKS FOR YOUON FRIDAY.

80-PERCENT OFPEOPLE WHO GET THE VIRUSHAVE MILD SYMPTOMS THAT LASTFOR SEVERAL DAYS.

THOSESYMPTOMS INCLUDE FEVER,COUGH, BODY ACHES, SHORTNESSOF BREATH AND POSSIBLY ASORE THROAT.LAURENCE BURNSED, STATEEPIDEMIOLOGIST "Thoseindividuals at greater riskare going to include elderlypopulations, so 60 years ofage and older and peoplewith underlying medicalconditions increases theirrisk of illnesses,especially if those affecttheir heart, their lungs, ortheir general immune system,that's going to put them atgreater risk of severeillness." ACCORDING TO THEC-D-C, THE VIRUS IS MAINLYSPREAD THROUGH PERSON TOPERSON CONTACT.

IT'SPOSSIBLE TO GET IT BYTOUCHINGA SURFACE THAT HAS THE VIRUSAND THEN TOUCHING YOUR FACE.SO THE BEST WAY TO PREVENTIT IS WASHING YOUR HANDS.COMMUNITY CARE HEALTH DIDNOT HAVE ANY INFORMATIONABOUT CORONAVIRUS COVERAGEON THEIR WEBSITE.

THEIR24-HOUR HOTLINE REFERSPATIENTS WITH VIRUSQUESTIONS TO THE C-D-CWEBSITE.

YOU CAN FIND MORECOVERAGE PLANS FOR OTHERHEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIESIN THIS STORY ON OURWEBSITE, KJRH DOT COM... ANDI'LL KEEP ADDING MOREINFORMATION AS IT COMES IN.KATIE KELEHER, 2 WORKS FORYOUALL OF ITALY IS ON LOCKDOWN