BOSTON — As the number of cases of coronavirus cases tick upward in Massachusetts, the state Division of Insurance has asked that insurance providers waive fees associated with coronavirus tests and treatment so as not to make the spread of the virus worse. Insurance companies have largely agreed, as the Boston Business Journal first reported.

The state Division of Insurance, which regulates insurers, told Massachusetts insurance companies they should forgo co-payments, deductibles or co-insurance for on any diagnostic testing, any future coronavirus vaccine and treatment related to coronavirus, both to in-network and out-of-network patients. "Recognizing that members of the public may seek a variety of health care services in connection with the coronavirus, including laboratory testing and urgent care and emergency services, the cost of those health care services should not be a barrier for Massachusetts residents," Commissioner of Insurance Gary Andersen wrote in a bulletin with the guidance.

The guidance addresses concerns that some wouldn't be able to afford testing or treatment and therefore not seek treatment, making the spread of the coronavirus worse.

When the state issues a bulletin with such guidance, it's considered industry standard to follow it. Insurers were broadly supportive of the state's guidance on coronavirus costs, according to the Boston Business Journal.

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The strain that emerged in China in late 2019, now called COVID-19, is related to others that have caused serious outbreaks in recent years, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was on Jan. 21.

The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now transferring from person to person, although the mechanism is not yet fully understood. Its symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath, and many patients develop pneumonia. There is as yet no vaccine against COVID-19 it and no antiviral treatment.