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Attorney General Issues Consumer Warning About Illegal COVID-19 Fees

Gage Skidmore
/
Attorney General Xavier Becerra
Xavier Becerra

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra issued a warning to consumers, yesterday, about some health care providers reportedly charging a COVID-19 fee that many people are not obligated to pay.


People enrolled in Medi-Cal, Denti-Cal and Medicare may not be charged this fee, which is purported to be for more frequent cleaning and disinfecting during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Becerra asks that people who are charged a fee — and who are enrolled in Medi-Cal or Denti-Cal — report it to the California Department of Health Care Services Medi-Cal Member and Provider Helpline. That’s 800-541-5555.

Those enrolled in Medicare who are charged the fee should call Medicare at (800) MEDICARE to report it.

Becerra also urged anyone enrolled in any of those three programs who has been charged a COVID-19 fee to file a complaint online with his office at ‪www.oag.ca.gov/report.


People with private insurance may be subject to the fee but have the right to ask providers why they are being charged such a fee and what it covers, as well as the right to ask insurers if the provider can charge the fee under insurance plan rules.