Carson City, NV September 14, 2020
Consumers who
purchased health insurance coverage on their own through the individual health
insurance market such as Nevada Health Link or have coverage sponsored by their
employers on the small or large groups markets are able to obtain free testing
for COVID-19.
Nevadans covered
by health insurance policies regulated by the Nevada Division of Insurance
(individual health plans, small group plans, large group plans, and
catastrophic plans) are able to obtain certain medical services and testing
related to COVID-19 without being responsible for co-pays or the actual cost of
the test itself.
This means
insurance companies are required to cover—with no out-of-pocket cost—testing
for COVID-19 and the visit to a provider’s office, an urgent care center, a
center for emergency medical care, an emergency room, or a COVID-19 screening
or testing site when the purpose of the visit is to be tested for COVID-19 for
a symptomatic individual.
“The cost of
COVID-19 testing should not be a deterrent for Nevadans to seek medical care if
they have been exposed,” explained Insurance Commissioner Barbara Richardson.
“As we have learned testing is essential to limit exposure to others and to
obtain any needed medical attention or treatment.”
Consumers who have
health insurance and need to get tested for COVID-19 should start first by
calling their doctor’s office and alert them that they may have been exposed
regardless if they have symptoms or not and ask for a referral on how, where,
and when to get tested.
Consumers who do
not have health insurance or are covered by other policies not regulated by the
Division are also encouraged to get tested. There are a number of testing sites
set up by the health department and medical centers, being offered at no cost
to anyone, whether they have symptoms or not.
Nevada Health
Response developed a look up tool to help Nevadans find a testing location near
them at https://NVHealthResponse.nv.gov/find-covid-19-testing-in-nevada/.
For more
information about insurance and COVID-19, visit the Division’s website at
http://doi.nv.gov/News_Notices/Emergency_Notices/.
About
the Nevada Division of Insurance
The State of
Nevada Division of Insurance, a Division of the Nevada Department of Business
and Industry, protects the rights of Nevada consumers and regulates Nevada’s
$14 billion insurance industry. The Division of Insurance has offices in Carson
City and Las Vegas. In 2019, the Division investigated more than 2,750 consumer
complaints, answered over 10,700 inquiries, and recovered over $6.3 million on
behalf of consumers. For more information about the Division of Insurance,
visit DOI.NV.GOV.
# # #