Due to expiring federal funding, COVID-19 testing and vaccination administration fees will soon be charged to patients of Klickitat Valley Health.
Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued relief funds to hospitals and other healthcare providers on the front lines of the coronavirus response.
Small rural hospitals—those with fewer than 50 beds and Critical Access Hospitals— were identified as key health care access points and trusted community resources. As a recipient of these federal funds, Klickitat Valley Health has used the support to maintain COVID-19 testing, expand access to testing, and tailor mitigation efforts to reflect the needs of the greater Goldendale region.
“KVH has been a regional leader in providing equitable access to testing and vaccination for our community,” said Leslie Hiebert, CEO of Klickitat Valley Health. “The federal support was crucial to our testing and vaccination efforts over the course of the pandemic.
“At the beginning of the pandemic, KVH secured enough testing supplies to meet any mandated testing—up to and including community-wide testing. With the help of federal support monies, KVH has administered 8,000 COVID tests and given out 2,700 take-home tests. Since the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines, KVH has administered over 8,100 doses and transferred 4,200 doses to county partners.”
The Department of Health and Human Services has issued the following end dates for its uninsured program:
- On March 22, at 11:59 pm ET, the HRSA COVID-19 Uninsured Program will stop accepting claims for testing and treatment due to a lack of sufficient funds.
- On April 5, at 11:59 pm ET, the HRSA COVID-19 Uninsured Program will also stop accepting vaccination claims due to a lack of sufficient funds.
Home COVID-19 test kits are available through Klickitat County Public Health Department. For more information, call KCPHD at (509) 773-4565.