Governor Gavin Newsom requested the Legislature make up to $20 million available for state government to respond to the spread of COVID-19. Among many things, this allows the Public Health Department to support hospitals and local public health laboratories in the collection of specimens and testing for COVID-19, at no charge to the public, and for California to activate the State Operations Center to its highest level to coordinate response efforts across the state. For more details, you can visit the State’s publication at: https://www.gov.ca.gov/2020/03/12/governor-newsom-issues-new-executive-order-further-enhancing-state-and-local-governments-ability-to-respond-to-covid-19-pandemic/.

On March 11, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service advised that high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) can pay for 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)-related testing and treatment, without jeopardizing their status. For more information, please see their original publication at: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-high-deductible-health-plans-can-cover-coronavirus-costs.