Trump Corrected by Insurers After He Claimed They’re Waiving All Copayments for Coronavirus Treatment

During an Oval Office address, President Donald Trump claimed that health insurers will “waive all co-payments for coronavirus treatments,” and the industry was quick to correct him.

“Earlier this week, I met with the leaders of health insurance industry who have agreed to waive all co-payments for coronavirus treatments, extend insurance coverage to these treatments, and to prevent surprise medical billing,” Trump told the public.

Almost immediately afterward, a spokesperson for America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), a leading trade association of health insurance companies, told a reporter that the president had misspoken.

“For testing. Not for treatment,” the individual told Politico reporter Sarah Owermohle.

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The president has garnered heated criticism for statements his critics say are reckless, misleading, or downright untruthful, noting that his own words sow doubt that he can successfully lead the nation through the public health crisis.

The president’s latest flub came after the World Health Organization (WHO) officially reclassified the coronavirus outbreak to a pandemic; the virus has claimed 4,749 lives worldwide according to the most recent count, including 38 in the United States alone. 1,197 cases have been confirmed in the U.S., but the figure is likely to be significantly higher due to testing shortages.

Alan Herrera

Alan is a writer, editor, and news junkie based in New York.