The coronavirus test costs $3,200.
The claim originated from a post (archived here) where it was published by Facebook on February 27, 2020, with a dire warning about not being able to afford the coronavirus test, resulting in death. It opened:, Social media users saw this:, , Coronavirus fears are spreading misinformation like wildfire, with people in the U.S. panicking about contracting the virus and being unable to afford the test or treatment., The Facebook post came three days after a story published in the Miami Herald on February 24, 2020. A man named Osmel Martinez Azcue had just returned to the United States from a business trip to China and was developing flu-like symptoms as the coronavirus whipped through the Asian country, beginning in Wuhan, China., According to the story, Azcue sought care at Jackson Memorial Hospital and said he was placed in a closed-off room where nurses in protective white suits treated him after spraying a disinfectant smoke under the door. He asked for a flu tests, and a blood test confirmed he had the flu., He returned home, relieved that he did not have the coronavirus. But, two weeks later, he was hit with a $3,270 notice from his insurance company., He was not charged $3,200 for a coronavirus test. He did not even have a coronavirus test., Hospital officials told the newspaper that Azcue would only be responsible for about $1,400 of his bill, but his own insurance coverage sparked a debate on Facebook over the state of healthcare in the United States, "The claim about the costs of the test in the Medicare for All Facebook post have also been debunked by a study published by the Americas Health Insurance Plan (AHIP), which noted CDC information that the coronavirus test is free:", At this time, the CDC is the only facility equipped to test for COVID 19, or to designate other laboratories to do so. The CDC is not billing for testing for COVID 19, so patients will not incur costs when tested by the CDC., A person who goes to the emergency room or urgent care for coronavirus testing will not be charged for the test., Business Insider published a story on February 29, 2020, also debunking the claim, but with the panic about the epidemic booming, the Facebook post still raked up 4,300 likes and 7,800 shares., Here is what some of the responses to the post said:, , Healthcare costs were broken down in a simple graphic here by Busines Insider:, , The story points to potential costs associated with being tested for coronavirus, but again it notes that the CDC is not charging for the coronavirus test itself., See who is sharing it (it might even be your friends...) and leave the link in the comments.:, Lead Stories is working with the CoronaVirusFacts/DatosCoronaVirus Alliance, a coalition of more than 100 fact-checkers who are fighting misinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more about the alliance here., Alexis Tereszcuk is a writer and fact checker at Lead Stories and\xa0an award-winning journalist who spent over a decade breaking hard news and celebrity scoop with RadarOnline and Us Weekly.\n\nAs the Entertainment Editor, she investigated Hollywood stories and conducted interviews with A-list celebrities and reality stars. \xa0\n\nAlexis’ crime reporting earned her spots as a contributor on the Nancy Grace show, CNN, Fox News and Entertainment Tonight, among others., Lead Stories is a fact checking website that is always looking for the latest false, deceptive or\n      inaccurate stories (or media) making the rounds on the internet.\n      \n      Spotted something? Let us know!., Lead Stories is a fact checking website that is always looking for the latest false, deceptive or\n        inaccurate stories (or media) making the rounds on the internet.\n        \n        Spotted something? Let us know!.
Fact Check: The Coronavirus Test Does NOT Cost $3,200 | Lead Stories