But, how or why would any infection requirement be necessary or a good idea?
1. The economic toll that is happening is not even remotely limited to those who are infected.
2. We aren't testing everyone and we don't have the resources to do so, so how would you accurately allocate the funds to those who are infected?
3. Those 10 million people who lost their jobs over the last two weeks mostly aren't infected (yet) but still have healthcare needs.
4. Much/most of the population is projected to contract the virus at some point anyway.
The economic toll is also important, but people are dying by the thousands.
I assume many infected will come out of this with 6 digit hospital bills.
We do have the resources to test everyone. Banning most tests is a regulatory decision.
If a goal is to stop virus spreading, encouraging testing should be a primary goal. If people have to pay thousands out of pocket to be tested, that won't happen.
> If we don't agree that the infected are the primary victims, that might be our primary disagreement, and there isn't much left to say.
Most people who cannot pay their health insurance today are not people who are infected. We have 40 times as many people unemployed as we do infected.
> The economic toll is also important, but people are dying by the thousands.
Health insurance or healthcare bills aren't a factor in the death rates of this virus. People won't even be receiving those bills until the virus has either run its course or have killed the patient.
Those who need inpatient care cannot be turned away by law, regardless of insurance status.
Those who do not need inpatient care are being told to go home, regardless of insurance status.
> We do have the resources to test everyone.
This is factually false, and has been repeatedly confirmed by health officials and test manufacturers.
> Banning most tests is a regulatory decision.
.. and it's a decision which the regulators have already undone.
> If people have to pay thousands out of pocket to be tested, that won't happen.
This is not an issue any longer. The test has been determined by HHS to be an essential health benefit which must be covered under ACA compliant public and private insurance plans. State, local, and federal testing facilities are offering the test for free on a widespread basis to those without insurance as well.
Sure, but I was talking about helping the infected people.
Yeah, it's more complex, but if it was a priority, it could be arranged. It's not like it has to be done quickly. Bills can be settled months later.
My cynical explanation is that Covid infected do not have a lobbyist at the table when these things are decided.