FRANKFORT, Ky — Governor Andy Beshear once again stepped to a capitol podium to address Kentucky residents who have watched confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state begin to increase. At the Monday morning press conference, he announced plans for relief to many seeking treatment.
- Gov. Beshear issues waiver covering COVID-19 testing
- Affects 433,000 on private insurance and 33,000 state workers
- No plan laid out for uninsured patients
"Today, I will be issuing an executive order that will waive copays, deductibles, cost-sharing, and diagnostic testing fees for private insurance and state employees," Beshear, D-Ky, said, flanked by health officials and the mayors of the state's two largest cities.
With that executive order, Beshear ordered insurers to free the financial burden of testing and future prescription from 433,000 Kentuckians who hold private insurance and 33,000 state workers. He also promised to remove impediments for Medicaid users and pushed insurers to expand coverage networks. But there was no mention in the order nor the press conference of Kentucky's uninsured. We reached out to health officials who said the administration is working on a response, but one has not yet been received.
Beshear also advised nursing homes to limit visitation and said more positive tests in the state are imminent, but promised every level of government is working to keep Kentucky healthy.
"We are going to hear about more positive tests, we ought to prepare for that," he said. "But, as you will hear today, we are working seamlessly from the state to the local level to make sure that we are responding and responding appropriately."