Is your health care provider charging you any special “COVID fee” for cleaning, masks, personal protective equipment (PPE), or anything else? This may be illegal!
California Attorney General Becerra issued an alert on March 3, 2021:
A COVID FEE is an additional charge, purportedly for more frequent cleaning and disinfecting, and greater use of Personal Protective Equipment, also known as “PPE,” during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Learn more about your protections if you have Medi-Cal, Medicare, private insurance, and Tricare in the alert.
Medi-Cal: Those enrolled in Medi-Cal and Denti-Cal are not allowed to be charged a COVID FEE. If you have Medi-Cal or Denti-Cal, alert your doctor’s or dentist’s office that they may not charge a COVID FEE to Medi-Cal or Denti-Cal patients.
If you are being charged a COVID FEE please call the California Department of Health Care Services Medi-Cal Member and Provider Helpline at 1-800-541-5555 to report it or to ask questions about the fee.
Please contact the Health Consumer Alliance to report any COVID fees and get free and confidential help: 888‑804‑3536 (TTY 877‑735‑2929).
