AHP sent a letter to state officials opposing the Texas Association of Freestanding Emergency Centers’ (TAFEC) recent request for a waiver or rule change that would allow them to provide non-emergent care, including COVID-19 testing. Under their current licensure, freestanding emergency rooms (FSERs) may only provide medical care in emergency situations.

Over the weekend, national investigative journalism organization ProPublica published an article demonstrating how freestanding emergency rooms are price gouging Texas patients. In this case—as in hundreds of others around the state—a freestanding ER billed a Houston woman $2,500 for her son’s drive-thru COVID-19 test. The test itself was only $175, but the facility tacked on $2,300 in unnecessarily high facility and physician fees.

HOUSTON — Some consumers who thought they were getting a simple COVID-19 test instead got a surprise bill charging their insurance company thousands of dollars. The Texas Association of Health Plans called it a dangerous new trend from a small number of providers.

The COVID-19 pandemic is highlighting the importance of health coverage when it comes to financially protecting Texas families from our state’s high health care costs. Texas already had the highest percent of uninsured residents  and some of the highest health care prices in the country—now, both of those problems have been exacerbated by the coronavirus.

TAHP, its member companies, and our employees are heavily invested in the health of the Texas communities in which we live and serve, and we are fully committed to meeting this challenge. Texas health plans are working to help contain the virus, ensure people have coverage for and access to needed testing, and help patients who are infected receive the care and treatment they need.

TAHP Statement on Commitment to Work with Gov. Abbott and State Leaders on Coronavirus Response