Martin Kramer, a spokesperson for the Health Resources and Services Administration said that “the lack of funding for COVID-19 requirements is having real consequences.” We have initiated an orderly shutdown.”
The Uninsured Program was one of the first casualties of the budget impasse between Congress & the White House due to the Biden administration’s request that $22.5 billion be added for COVID response. The program, which has been in operation since the Trump administration’s takeover, reimburses hospitals, doctors, and other service providers for COVID treatment for the uninsured population, which is approximately 28 million. Kramer stated that the program will cease accepting claims for vaccine-related costs after April 5.
The possibility of shutting off federal money could cause access problems for people without insurance, and have repercussions for society in general.
Larry Levitt, a non-partisan Kaiser Family Foundation health policy expert, stated that COVID is a highly contagious disease. He advised people who suspect they may be suffering from it to have their blood tested and get treated. “If people who aren’t insured don’t want to seek care due to the cost, then we will see more cases and greater inequity.”
Levitt expressed concern that vaccine providers might reduce outreach to uninsured patients.
HRSA is the name of the agency that runs the Uninsured Program. It is part of the Department of Health and Human Services. Officials claim that the agency receives approximately 1 million claims per day and has reimbursed millions of people for their care during the pandemic. It pays out approximately $500 million per week in claims and has been used by more than 50,000 service providers.
Xavier Becerra, HHS Secretary, told The Associated Press that other initiatives might be canceled if Congress continues to stand firm. He highlighted “Test to treat,” which is a new program that allows patients to quickly receive antiviral medication. This reduces the likelihood of them being admitted to hospital. Becerra stated, “If you don’t have the money to make it happen, you’re stuck.”
While COVID deaths, cases, and hospitalizations are declining in most areas of the country, there is concern that another surge could be coming. Omicron variant BA.2 has been spreading throughout Europe and Asia and is now gaining ground in America. Although it is more easily transmissible than the original Omicron strain, it does not seem to cause any more severe diseases. Hospitals could fill up if the number of cases increases.
In a push-and-pull between Republicans and Democrats, House or Senate, the administration’s request to receive more money was rebuffed.
The Senate is evenly divided. To avoid a filibuster, Democrats would need to have 10 Republican votes. Republican senators argue that savings should come from the trillions of dollars that Congress has provided since the pandemic started two years ago. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi attempted to reach a compromise with GOP leaders by agreeing on cuts, but was met with opposition from fellow Democrats.
The Biden administration claims that more Americans will feel the consequences if the money doesn’t flow.
According to a White House fact sheet, the government won’t have enough money to pay for boosters or vaccines that target specific variants to make sure all Americans get them. By May, the supply of monoclonal antibodies treatments will be exhausted. Health authorities won’t be able to obtain sufficient quantities of certain treatments for patients with compromised immune systems. It will also be difficult to maintain a strong capacity for testing, a problem that has been frustrating since the outbreak of the pandemic.
