Newsroom
Latest News
U.S. Sens. Cory Gardner and Michael Bennet, along with six Colorado U.S. representatives, on Tuesday signed a letter asking FEMA to reach out to and further clarify coronavirus safety resources for state, local, territorial, tribal governments.
"Many counties across Colorado have expressed frustration over what they perceive as a lack of clear guidance as to what actions are reimbursable under this national emergency declaration," the letter stated.
U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette repeatedly returned to the need to expand testing for COVID-19 coronavirus during a telephone town hall meeting with constituents on Monday evening.
U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, a Denver Democrat, introduced congressional legislation Tuesday that would require health insurers to cover the full cost of coronavirus tests.
The bill would add coronavirus testing to the Affordable Care Act's list of preventive health services that insurers are required to cover at no cost to patients. That list currently includes many vaccines and screenings, such as flu shots and mammograms.
The coronavirus outbreak prompted lawmakers to add language on using tests for new diseases during an emergency as part of their long-awaited diagnostic test bill.
Reps. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) and Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.) released Thursday a bill to overhaul the regulation of diagnostics, culminating a three-and-a-half year effort to resolve differences among the various industries and federal agencies on how much oversight should be exercised over tests used to make treatment decisions.
Congress approved $8.3 billion in emergency funding to respond to the novel coronavirus at the local, state, federal and international levels.
The bill now heads to President Donald Trump, who is expected to sign the bill.
The Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Act includes more than $3 billion for research and development of vaccines and diagnostics; $2.2 billion for the Centers for Disease Control; $1 billion for state and local response efforts; and nearly $1 billion for procurement of medicine and medical supplies.