.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

Copyright © 2020 Albuquerque Journal

Many Presbyterian Health Plan members can now get tested for the new coronavirus without co-payments.

Presbyterian Healthcare Services announced Monday that it is suspending cost-sharing for COVID-19 tests for its Medicare Advantage and many of its commercial health plan members.

“Once it is determined by a medical professional that a COVID-19 test should occur, we want to ensure that our members have no financial barriers for that test,” said Brandon Fryar, president of the health plan, in a prepared statement.

Testing was already available at no cost for Presbyterian’s Centennial Care Medicaid members prior to the announcement, according to the health care organization. Melanie Mozes, spokeswoman for Presbyterian, said the suspension currently does not include cost-sharing for high-deductable plans, which are managed by the federal government.

To date, 57 tests for COVID-19 have been performed in New Mexico across all health care systems, according to the New Mexico Department of Health.

As of Monday afternoon, New Mexico remains one of 16 states without a confirmed positive case of COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.