Many of you have emailed me with concerns about outrageous COVID test charges. 

Unfortunately, it's true. 

Some testing facilities in Oklahoma charge crazy stupid amounts for routine COVID tests. The amounts are as high as they are in some states like Texas. But it’s still ridiculous. And right now it’s legal.

Oklahoma law allows something called "free-standing" emergency rooms. These emergency rooms advertise themselves as being like a hospital. They provide emergency room services and charge emergency room prices. But they don't provide most ordinary hospital services, so they aren't allowed to accept Medicare, Medicaid or TriCare. Of course, that doesn't bother them because they don't want those customers. They cost too much and pay too little. Free-standing ERs are only interested in the most expensive (and most profitable) services.

There are two free-standing ER facilities in Oklahoma and both have been providing COVID tests. Unfortunately for customers, their testing processes throw in a bunch of other routine - and expensive - diagnostic tests. After all, they are providing emergency room services, right? And while these customers rarely feel the direct effects, insurance companies foot the bill. In the end, we all pay through ever-increasing insurance premiums.

So what am I doing about it?

1. It’s important to make everyone aware of the challenges. Oklahoma law permits a form of free-standing emergency facility, so we must insure they play by the rules and that the rules are fair to the customer.

2. We only had one bill this session that directly dealt with free-standing emergency rooms. That bill was Senate Bill 548. It would have given them a huge boost in what they could charge insurance companies. I worked with my colleague, Rep. McEntire, to dig into this bill on the floor and expose what it truly was. In the end the House voted it down.

I’m also working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to stop the Governor's two billion dollar Medicaid Expansion plan. The Governor wants to shoot the dice with our money by sending it to 3rd party Managed Care Organizations (MCOs). He has his fingers crossed that we will get something in return. But remember, MCOs are just a new name for the same old Health Management Organizations (HMOs) that fell out of favor in the 1990s. MCOs were a disaster when the state tried them 30 years ago. The House wants to avoid repeating that mistake.

Unfortunately, the Legislature gave the Governor a lot of new power when he was first elected. They’ve regretted it ever since.

Sources:
Oklahoma Watch: Congressional Investigators Look Into COVID-19 Billing at Two Hospitals in Oklahoma

Tulsa World: A $2,700 bill for a COVID-19 test turns up the heat on a health care industry dispute

Texas Tribune: COVID-19 testing has become a “cash cow” for freestanding ERs in Texas, experts say. And it’s getting out of control.