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Coronavirus testing at Cleveland Clinic: 'We are testing regardless of the ability to pay'

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Posted at 3:41 PM, Mar 13, 2020
and last updated 2020-03-13 18:48:00-04

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Clinic will test patients regardless of their ability to pay, according to a spokesperson with the Clinic.

Clinic spokesperson Shannon Nealon said that even those who do not have insurance can receive testing, and it will not charge copays for the test either. For those who are insured, payment will be processed through their insurer, she said.

Deciding who gets tested is based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by looking at symptoms, travel and exposure.

“We are testing regardless of the ability to pay,” Nealon said.

Today the clinic set up tents outside its emergency department entrances where patients will be questioned before entering their facilities as a precautionary measure.

The clinic said it has purchased the necessary CDC components and validated the test in their lab, meaning they can now conduct on-site testing for coronavirus, allowing them to test patients and receive results rapidly – within the day, in most cases.

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