A health care professional prepares to administer a COVID-19 test outside of Capstone Clinic in Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

A health care professional prepares to administer a COVID-19 test outside of Capstone Clinic in Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Uncertainty for uninsured as COVID-19 funding runs out

Uninsured peninsula residents will still be able to get free tests and vaccines from some providers

A federal program that offered uninsured people access to free COVID-19 care has run out of money, but health officials said this week that there will still be options for those without insurance.

“Do not be deterred,” state epidemiologist Joe McLaughlin said during a public science session Wednesday. “Even without insurance, free COVID-19 services will still be available from some providers.”

As of March 23, the Health Resources and Services Administration stopped accepting COVID testing and treatment claims from health care providers for uninsured patients, and effective Tuesday, the agency won’t be accepting vaccine administration claims for uninsured folks either, citing a “lack of sufficient funds,” according to a notice posted on the HRSA website.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

The lack of funding is due to a standoff between Congress and the White House, which has asked the legislative body for $22.5 billion in additional funds for COVID response, the Associated Press reported earlier this week.

The Uninsured Program has existed since Trump administration, and reimburses hospitals, clinics, doctors and other service providers for COVID care to the uninsured, the AP reported.

McLaughlin said Wednesday that alternative resources include Medicaid enrollment, HealthCare Marketplace coverage and finding a health center through the Health Resources and Services Administration website at hrsa.gov. Free at-home kits can also be ordered from covid.gov/tests.

“Many libraries, community centers, schools and other public venues continue to hand out free tests, and you can also check our testing locator map and call ahead,” he said.

Kenai Public Health will still be offering free COVID testing and vaccine administration to uninsured patients. Tami Marsters, a public health nurse at the clinic, said the center is one of the “safety nets” of the community.

“It won’t affect us,” she said. “We’ll still be doing testing and shots at no charge.”

Kenai Public Health works on a sliding scale for uninsured patients, and she said as of now, the center won’t change its policies. The center is also still handing out free at-home test kits.

Derotha Ferraro, a spokesperson with South Peninsula Hospital in Homer, also confirmed via email Friday that uninsured patients will still be able to get free testing and vaccine administration.

Justin Ruffridge, a pharmacist and the owner of Soldotna Professional Pharmacy, said his clinics are adapting to the HRSA announcement.

“They announced it very quickly,” he said of the change.

In addition to Soldotna Professional Pharmacy, Ruffridge also operates a COVID vaccine clinic at the “Y” intersection of the Sterling and Kenai Spur highways.

He said the “Y” will still be offering free COVID vaccines to all patrons through the end of April, when the facility was already scheduled to close after its year in service.

At Soldotna Professional Pharmacy, Ruffridge said, the clinic has other funding set aside for free COVID testing for uninsured patients. Eventually, he said, there might be an administration fee for a COVID vaccine at the pharmacy, but currently the facility will work with uninsured folks.

“The good news is that we have less uninsured people in this area than would maybe be apparent,” Ruffridge said. “The ones that we do (have), we always work with.”

Craig Ambrosiani, the executive director of the Seward Community Health Center, said the clinic will also continue to offer free services for uninsured patients for a few more weeks.

“We’re not going to change anything until the end of April,” he said. “We’re going to write it off to our own charity program until the end of April, and that will give us time to get announcements out to folks.”

At the beginning of May, Ambrosiani said, the health center will start billing a COVID vaccine administration fee of around $40. But, he said, the center also participates in fee-waive programs for folks based on their financial and insurance statuses.

“We’re here to take care of our community, and we weren’t ready this quickly to just throw out a change like this to people,” he said.

For more assistance, state officials are encouraging people to contact their local public health centers.

Kenai Public Health can be reached at 907-335-3400. The state public health number is 907-465-3150, and the state COVID hotline can be reached at 907-646-3322.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Reach reporter Camille Botello at camille.botello@peninsulaclarion.com.

More in News

Children leap forward to grab candy during a Fourth of July parade on South Willow Street in Kenai, Alaska, on July 4, 2025. (Photo courtesy Sarah Every)
Celebrating the 4th in the streets

Kenai comes out for annual Independence Day parade.

Fire crews respond to the Bruce Fire, July 4, 2025, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Alaska Division of Forestry)
Firefighting crews respond to wildfire outside Soldotna

The 8-acre fire and two “spot fires” of less than one acre each are located near Mile 102 and 103 of the Sterling Highway.

Robert Weaver was last seen at the Doroshin Bay public use cabin on June 25, 2025. (Photo provided by the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge)
Kenai wildlife refuge seeking information on missing man

Robert Weaver was last seen near Skilak Lake on June 25.

The Alaska Dive Search Rescue and Recovery Team conducts a training mission in Seward, Alaska in 2024. Photo courtesy of the Alaska Dive Search Rescue and Recovery Team
Anchor Point fundraiser to benefit Alaska rescue and recovery group

Alaska Dive Search Rescue and Recovery Team is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization established in 2016.

Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic staff (left to right) Angie Holland, RN; Jane Rohr, Sonja Martin Young, CNM; Robin Holmes, MD; and Cherie Bole, CMA provide an array of reproductive and sexual health services. (Photo provided by KBFPC)
Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic releases report on STI trends on the Kenai Peninsula

The report pulls from data gathered from 2024 to early 2025.

Pool manager and swim coach Will Hubler leads a treading water exercise at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Swimmers, parents call on Kenai to support Kenai Central pool

The KPBSD Board of Education last week said communities will need to step up and take over administration of pools within the next year.

Traffic passes by South Spruce Street in Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai drops effort to rename South Spruce Street

The resolution would have changed the name to make it clear which road led to North Kenai Beach

Gov. Mike Dunleavy compares Alaska to Mississippi data on poverty, per-pupil education spending, and the 2024 National Assessment of Education Progress fourth grade reading scores during a press conference on Jan. 31, 2025. Alaska is highlighted in yellow, while Mississippi is in red. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
Dunleavy calls special session for August

Lawmakers on Wednesday said they were surprised by the move.

Most Read