https://www.huffpost.com/entry/elizabeth-warren-coronavirus-plan_n_5e5cb3c2c5b6010221136780
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Monday will lay out a detailed plan for swift federal action to combat the coronavirus outbreak.
The proposed initiative, which Warrens presidential campaign shared with HuffPost on Sunday evening, is not another item on Warrens agenda for what she would do if she becomes president.
It is, instead, a list of steps that she would like to see Congress and President Donald Trump take right now, in order to contain the outbreak, to help those affected by it, and to stop the economy from falling into a recession.
Key actions would include making tests and treatments free to anybody who needs them, providing paid leave to people who must miss work or care for relatives, and propping up the economy with about $400 billion in new government spending.
Many of the moves Warren has in mind would mirror actions the federal government has taken to address past outbreaks and pandemic scares, including H1N1 in 2009 and SARS in 2003.
The plan follows up on a broader public health agenda she released when news about the outbreak became prominent in January. It also fleshes out promises Warren has been making in just the past few days, as the outbreak has gained a footing in the U.S. and seized the nations attention.
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What Warrens Plan Would Do
Warrens plan has several provisions, starting with attempts to help people who need or will need medical attention.
She wants Congress to make coronavirus testing and treatment free by requiring that private insurers cover it with no out-of-pocket costs, having public insurance programs such as Medicare and Medicaid do the same, and then creating a new uncompensated care fund that would finance tests and treatments for people who have no insurance.
Warren also wants the federal government to provide emergency funding to safety net providers, such as community clinics, as well to state public health departments. This money could mean hiring additional health care workers or setting up new, temporary facilities ― perhaps including mobile or drive-through units so that people could get tests and treatments without infecting others....