Arizona’s largest COVID-19 tester may have to shut down from lack of CARES Act funding
Embry Women's Health tests thousands of Arizonans for COVID-19 every day, but may have to shut down because of a lack of CARES Act funding.
PHOENIX - Arizona's top tester of COVID-19 may have to shut down because they say they've received no CARES Act funding from the state.
On Jan. 10, thousands of Arizonans were tested for COVID-19 at Embry Women’s Health testing sites. As the state's largest tester, they can handle up to 18,000 patients a day.
"We are the only entity that essentially built a McDonald’s in the middle of nowhere for a public good without any idea how we’re going to get paid on it," said Raymond Embry, CEO of Embry Health and TestNow.
Embry may have to close testing sites at the height of the pandemic because, he says, they can’t pay the staff working there anymore.
"I simply don’t know how they’re going to receive a paycheck the week after next because I’ve given everything I have to support this effort," Embry said.
Many of Embry’s 60 testing site locations throughout the state are 24/7, like the one at Phoenix College. Of the state's 3.4 million COVID-19 tests taken so far, Embry is responsible for nearly 25% of those tests.
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Despite conducting a fourth of the state's tests, Embry says they haven’t received any CARES Act money.
"Many of them don’t realize how grave the situation is," Embry said. "Many of them believe - rightfully so - that operations through the state of Arizona is being funded by the CARES Act dollars that is coming into Arizona. But at the end of the day, that could not be further from the truth."
In a letter to stakeholders obtained by FOX 10, Embry Health says it may either have to close sites or start charging to stay open.
FOX 10 reached out to the governor’s office. They didn’t comment, but referred us to the Dept. of Health Services, which said in a statement:
"We have been in discussions with Embry about other potential ways to ensure that testing remains widely available to Arizonans. ADHS has no active contract with Embry. "
The department stressed that testing is reimbursed by health insurance providers, but Embry says it doesn’t cover the overhead costs. Plus, he says insurance reimbursement has been down 85% since May.
"It’s become abundantly clear that we cannot rely on a single government authority," Embry said.
The Phoenix mayor's office says they haven’t received a request for funding from Embry and said they’re set to meet next week on testing expansion, not closure.
"If they value the services we’re providing, things need to change," he said.
FOX 10 has reached out to some of the other municipalities where Embry has testing locations, but hasn’t heard back on if they would consider providing the federal funding they’ve received to keep the sites operational.
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Arizona's largest COVID-19 tester may have to shut down from lack of CARES Act funding - FOX 10 News Phoenix
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