We were relieved to see that the president took the advice of doctors when he contracted the COVID-19 virus.
In less than 24 hours of testing positive, the president was in the hospital receiving potent drugs and brief stints of supplemental oxygen. After three days he was transferred to the White House where his medical retinue continues to monitor his condition and administer treatments.
Because the president reacted in such a proactive manner, it’s not a little puzzling that he has returned to his drumbeat that the coronavirus is “just the flu.” No biggie.
That’s certainly not how he was acting last week.
And who knows how he would have fared without the high level of care he received.
An everyday Joe with similar symptoms could experience a far different outcome.
For instance, most who test positive for COVID-19 are not admitted to the hospital unless they present debilitating effects such as acute respiratory distress or a persistent high fever. Otherwise, the advice is to weather it out at home.
Though the president has suggested the virus can be treated with bleach, hydroxychloroquine or ultraviolet light, when his life was on the line they were nowhere to be found.
Instead, he was more than happy to have medical professionals administer a whole host of drugs including an antibody cocktail produced by Regeneron, the antiviral drug remdesivir, as well as dexamethasone, a steroid recommended only for people suffering from severe cases of COVID-19.
The “cocktail” is a new treatment with a $3,000 price tag. The antiviral is still in clinical trials and expected to fetch thousands of dollars once it hits the commercial market.
In all, the president’s treatment comes to about $100,000 — if he were presented a bill.
According to a study by FAIR Health, a nonprofit that gathers healthcare information, the median charge for someone hospitalized for COVID-19 is just under $62,000.
Those covered by health insurance can expect their insurer to negotiate the bill to about half that, or $31,575.
A quarter of the claims surveyed showed charges exceeding $193,000.
Not all insurers have agreed to cover all costs incurred by the coronavirus. Those without insurance are in for a shock.
Testing for the virus typically costs about $100 a pop, with insurance paying a portion, but not all.
