All D.C.-licensed health insurers will have to cover COVID-19 testing for high- risk residents under a new mandate.
“We know that the best place to get tested for COVID-19 is at a doctor or with a medical professional who can talk to you about your symptoms, health, and future care. If you need a test, you should get a test and you shouldn’t be worried about the cost,” D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a news release.
The order expands on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for COVID-19 testing and covers testing for some asymptomatic people who work in high-risk settings, are at high risk for complications from COVID-19 or have been exposed to a recently-diagnosed person.
These people will now be able to get tested once per week at no cost and without a doctor’s approval.
This mandate will be administered through the D.C. Department of Insurance Securities and Banking and runs through the duration of the public health emergency.
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