L.A. County reducing free COVID testing as federal funds are ‘completely exhausted’

At the same time as Los Angeles County sees an uptick in circumstances, the county is decreasing its free COVID-19 testing websites after the federal funding for it was depleted, authorities stated.

A pool of funds that helped present free testing to uninsured individuals was “utterly exhausted” final month, and the federal authorities is not in a position to ship suppliers and counties the cash to cowl testing, L.A. County Well being and Human Companies Director Christina Ghaly stated Tuesday.

L.A. County has needed to take away 25 group testing websites from the county’s COVID-19 arsenal since they had been not in a position to proceed offering the free testing as of March 22.

That is occurring as a $10 billion COVID-19 spending invoice stalls within the U.S. Senate.

Whereas federal funding has dried up, Ghaly stated L.A. County nonetheless plans to persevering with providing free COVID-19 testing, together with to these with out medical health insurance, utilizing different sources of funding.

“We are going to maintain doing this so long as attainable,” Ghaly stated.

The county is vulnerable to having to shoulder paying one other $5 to $10 million per thirty days to cowl COVID-19 testing for people who find themselves “unbillable,” both as a result of they don’t have insurance coverage or as a result of they’re not offering correct insurance coverage info, Ghaly instructed the L.A. County Board of Supervisors.

“We’re additionally hopeful that there will probably be a federal resolution to this drawback and that the federal authorities will once more fund the uninsurance pool sooner or later,” she added. “I strongly encourage people with out insurance coverage to proceed to see COVID testing if they’ve a cause to be examined.”

L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis raised issues that L.A. County might see one other surge by the point extra funding is accredited by the Senate.

“I believe the Senate is, I’m listening to, they’re unlikely to vote on a bundle this week — in all probability gained’t come again till after Easter break. By that point, we will see a rise on this variant that’s presently impacting us,” Solis stated.

County well being authorities have observed small will increase in new COVID-19 circumstances, nevertheless it stays unclear whether or not there may very well be one other main surge.

Whereas the variety of hospitalized COVID-19 sufferers has remained regular and deaths proceed to lower, the unfold of the extremely contagious BA.2 omicron subvariant and a few latest outbreaks at faculties in L.A. have raised some issues.

The proportion of circumstances attributable to BA.2 has elevated, accounting for 32% of sequence specimens throughout the week of March 12, based on the L.A. County Division of Public Well being.

That’s double the proportion seen the week earlier than.

L.A. County Well being Director Barbara Ferrer stated this mirrors traits seen throughout the nation.

The U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention estimated that, as of April 2, the dominant variant within the U.S. is BA.2, accounting for about 72% of sequenced circumstances nationwide.

“Though case charges of COVID-19 are decrease now than throughout the surge in L.A. County, we do need to be ready for the likelihood that BA.2 or different variants of concern might require further interventions,” Ferrer stated Tuesday.

Up till lately, the county had been seeing day by day case numbers fall for the reason that winter surge and authorities have eased COVID-19 restrictions.

Masks grew to become non-obligatory at many indoor areas, and venues are not required to confirm individuals’s vaccine standing.

Now, charges are starting to stage off and circumstances are not declining.

Officers are watching a number of indicators, together with the unfold of BA.2, to see whether or not guidelines have to be modified.

Ghaly famous that the county is protecting its agreements in place in order that authorities are in a position to ramp testing again up if wanted.

For now, individuals with out medical health insurance can nonetheless discover a free county testing website to go to in the event that they want it.

Additionally they have the choice to order free at-home COVID-19 check kits from the federal authorities.

These with medical health insurance are inspired to offer their info when signing up for a check, so the county gained’t must pay for it.

“We’re asking individuals to make use of their insurance coverage if they’ve it as a result of then the testing accomplice, whether or not it’s our contracted one or one other supplier, can invoice for insurance coverage,” Ghaly stated. “So both approach, the person getting the check doesn’t must pay something out of pocket, however they’re offering their insurance coverage info, after which there’s no value to the county.”