Coronavirus Hotline To Help Those Without Primary Care Provider

ROCKVILLE, MD — Montgomery County on Thursday launched a coronavirus hotline for residents who want to get tested for the disease, but don't have a primary care provider.

During a virtual news briefing on Wednesday, County Health Officer Dr. Travis Gayles said officials set up the hotline after realizing how many people — particularly those who don't have insurance or a primary care provider — were unable to get a COVID-19 test.

In order to get a test, the patient needs to meet the coronavirus testing criteria as determined by a licensed health care provider.

"The reality is many people were still locked out of the system because they did not have access to a primary care provider," Gayles said. "We heard lots of stories where individuals who didn't have insurance or a primary care provider say, 'I showed up to an urgent care. The test was free, but I was being charged a couple hundreds dollar visit fee.'"

Gayles said that when patients call the hotline, the county's disease control unit will take down their information and a health care provider will call them back at a specific time. The provider will then ask them a series of questions to see if they meet the coronavirus testing criteria. The patients who do meet the criteria will be able to schedule a time to get tested.

Dr. Gayles says the residents seeing assistance with #COVID19 testing can call the County’s Testing Helpline at 240-777-1755. pic.twitter.com/gyC8Be1fta
— Montgomery Council (@MoCoCouncilMD) May 14, 2020

As of Thursday, 7,548 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Montgomery County. The local death toll now stands at 397.

Before the county can reopen, Gayles says the county needs to expand its testing capacity.

Approximately 3 percent of county residents have been tested for COVID-19, Gayles said. The goal is to test 5 percent of the population on a monthly basis.

Health officials have set up a number of testing sites across Montgomery County, including in Germantown, Wheaton, and White Oak.

Gayles says the number of cases will increase as more testing becomes available.