Governor Murphy Waives Fees for COVID-19 Testing for Some New Jersey Residents

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said Tuesday the state will waive fees for COVID-19 testing for more than 2 million residents on certain health plans.

The waivers apply to residents with health insurance through their jobs with the state and public schools, as well as to those using the state’s social safety net programs.

Murphy also urged the state’s other health carriers covering people who get insurance through their jobs to follow suit. The state’s biggest insurer, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, has already said it would waive costs for medically necessary coronavirus tests.

Just over half of the state’s residents have insurance through their employers, according to Jerrel Harvey, a spokesman for the governor.

Murphy’s administration is set to give an update on the number of cases in the state later on Tuesday. Officials have reported there are 11 positive cases in New Jersey so far.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover. In mainland China, where the virus first exploded, more than 80,000 people have been diagnosed and more than 58,000 have so far recovered.