HIALEAH, FLA. (WSVN) - Larkin Community Hospital is under investigation by the state for charging for coronavirus tests, but now there’s more trouble when it comes to the results.
Though free coronavirus testing is now underway for people 65 and older with symptoms at Amelia Earhart Park in Hialeah, until Thursday the only drive-through testing location in the city was at Larkin Community Hospital, which cost patients $150 each.
Florida Gov. Ron Desantis has called Larkin Community Hospital’s decision to charge for COVID-19 testing unacceptable.
He has already called for a state investigation into this, but since then, more complaints have come into the state about the COVID-19 testing at Larkin.
“It’s a difficult time for me,” said Gloria.
Gloria had a fever and trouble breathing, so she paid $150 and got a COVID-19 test at Larkin on Thursday, March 26th.
Her appointment email said the results will be available in two to four days.
But despite calling dozens of times, Gloria said, she heard nothing for six days.
Then, on Wednesday, she finally got a call saying she would need to be tested again after an issue with her first test.
She said she was told, “‘I’m sorry, Gloria. We need a retest because the initial test is incomplete.’ It’s impossible. Because you have seven days now. You can call me four days ago, ‘OK, the test is incomplete.’ You know?”
Another person who paid Larkin also contacted 7News after he was not able to get his results.
Jorge said, “Every time I call, I just continuously call that number, leave messages that I’m just interested in my results, and no one has called me back.”
A 7News investigation first revealed Larkin Community Hospital failed to mention the $150 cost during a news conference with the City of Hialeah.
A few days, after the 7News report aired, DeSantis announced an investigation into the hospital.
Said Desantis, “That is not acceptable here in the state of Florida. The president has made clear, the relief bill has had: the tests are free, and we don’t want to put individuals in any more difficult circumstances than they already are in a time of angst.”
Last week, Dr. Jack Michel, Larkin Community Hospital’s president told us in retrospect, the cost should have been made clear.
But Dr. Michel also defended the private hospital’s decision to charge.
Michel said, “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with people that want to pay and that can pay. People are happy. A lot of people are very happy to pay, and I haven’t seen, I mean, obviously people are told ahead of time, so they know that this is a specific service. This is not really a hospital service. This is a laboratory service.”
In an email to 7News addressing the test result issues, Michel said, “We had to quickly ramp a patient portal up and program the automation and any new software has glitches that we fix along the way, so we have concentrated on reporting the positives immediately and reaching out to them to make sure we stop the contagion chain. The negatives are reported via email, and we have been having a glitch in the system sending the emails.”
Jorge said, “I’m assuming that I am not the only one in this situation, and it’s just unfortunate.”
After 7News inquired about Jorge’s test, his results were emailed the same day.
He was negative for the virus.
Meanwhile, Gloria is now waiting on the results of her second test.
“I have a lot of stress because this situation has changed my life. You know? Because I don’t know if I have the coronavirus. I don’t know. I’m not sure. You know, I wait a long time,” Gloria said.
The state has received nine complaints about Larkin charging for COVID-19 testing.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody called the allegations “extremely disturbing,” but said the hospital is cooperating with the state investigation.
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