Mike Pence says health insurance companies will waive copays for coronavirus testing | ABC News

and I'm pleased to report as you requested mr. president that all the insurance companies here either today or before today have agreed to waive all co-pays on coronavirus testing and extend coverage for coronavirus treatment in all of their benefit plans and in your direction Medicare and Medicaid last week already made it clear to Medicare Medicaid beneficiaries that coronavirus testing and treatment would be covered these private insurance

carriers have extended that as well they've also agreed to cover telemedicine so that anyone particularly among a vulnerable senior population would not feel it necessary to go to a hospital or go to their doctor they don't know the telemedicine is covered these CEOs have also agreed to no surprise billing we want people to get tested over a million tests are out thanks to the diligent work of CDC and HHS more than four million will go out this week you've worked with commercial

labs to expand testing and that will continue to increase by the day but we want the American people to know that that they are covered through private insurance they are covered through Medicare Medicaid and there'll be no surprise billing and finally mr. president as you directed us yesterday we we produced helpful information for every American family how they can keep their home their school their business their establishment safe from the spread

of the corona virus all of these all of these major health insurance companies have agreed to convey all this information starting today to all of their customers as well as to send the CDC's guidance first seniors with underlying health conditions to give them specific recommendations and so as you requested us they've all agreed to work with us to communicate information directly to the American people because as you said mr. president while the risks to the average

American of contracting the coronavirus remains low we want a full partnership with industry and give the American people all the information they need to avoid contracting or spreading the coronavirus and particularly these companies are going to help us get information to seniors with underlying health conditions who really represent the most vulnerable population to serious outcomes and I I know I speak on behalf of the president when I say how grateful we are for the the

collaborative spirit the generosity and the partnership represented by the great companies at this table it's