Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

'Walking Dead' Actor 'Disgusted' After Being Charged $9,000 For Test That Doctors Weren't Even Allowed To Process

'Walking Dead' Actor 'Disgusted' After Being Charged $9,000 For Test That Doctors Weren't Even Allowed To Process
@danielnewman_/Instagram

The Walking Dead actor Daniel Newman was recently tested for the virus causing the current global pandemic, only to discover that the test would never actually be processed because his symptoms were "mild."

The kicker is that he was still charged over $9,000 for the emergency room visit and test, though he will likely never get the results.


Newman posted a heartfelt explanation of the situation to Instagram, along with a photo of himself in the emergency room.

First, Newman thanked fans for their concern. 

"Thanks for all the concern! I guess a lot of #WalkingDead fans saw me in the emergency room [...] Sorry I didn't reply I needed time to process."

Needing time to come to terms with the situation is certainly understandable. 

"So here's what happened. Yes I was just in Australia with Sam Smith, Dua Lipa, and thousands of people from around the world for Mardi Gras Pride."
"I was exposed to some sick people and I started developing symptoms and then back in the states I was notified someone in our group tested positive [...] I spent all day calling every urgent care and hospital no one had tests!"

Even with known exposure and symptoms, Newman struggled to find anyone who could test him for the virus.

He eventually found one hospital and followed their advice by going in to be tested—only to find out that they couldn't actually process the test.

"Finally I found one emergency room that told me my symptoms match and to come in immediately. I did all the tests and they told me because I have 'mild symptoms' the government won't allow them to process my tests!"

Severe restrictions have been placed on testing in many areas due to the shortage of chemical reagents needed to process the tests. 

"They don't have enough they're not prepared, even though all my symptoms match. They're only allowed to process 'severe symptoms, elderly, or people recently in Italy and China'."

Newman didn't find this out until after he visited the emergency room and had the swabs done for the test.

But he's still stuck with the bill for a test that won't be processed. 

"It cost me $9,116!! and they didn't even give me results. They sent me home and tons of other ill people that could potentially infect their communities, just telling us to 'self Quarantine'."

Self-quarantine is definitely good advice, but it does seem woefully lacking under the circumstances.

Newman had some pointed questions about the way the crisis has been handled by the government. 

"Why after almost 3 months since China is our country not prepared with tests, masks, hand sanitizer, toilet paper! Why after one day of shaky stock markets did they invest 1.5 trillion into the markets, but not the Healthcare system after three months!"

Followed by some scathing commentary. 

"This was not a surprise, this was not being prepared. We've already gone through #H1N1 #SARS why didn't we have a pandemic unit ready when this happens every few years!?"

He pled for people to follow best practices and look out for one another. 

"Everyone please treat each other with kindness and Love ❤️! We are all going through this together. Young people are not immune, thousands of people are dying around the world. Please be safe, wash your hands, stay 6 feet or more away from people and stay home."

Finally, Newman offered words of support for anyone struggling with the whole situation. 

"I love you guys so much you can get a hold of me on here or Twitter if you need to talk I'm here for you. Love - D"

Newman told CNN that even after finding a hospital with tests, he was only given one after being recognized for his role in The Walking Dead. 

"Preferential treatment is disgusting. The fact that our Healthcare system is turning everyone away—and then even after I got tested and have this huge bill, they still couldn't process the results."

"$9,000 later they were letting me know, 'We need the ER beds and your symptoms are super mild, so the government has told us we are not even allowed to process your test.'"
"They just let me and lots of other elderly and young people go home to self-quarantine without even being able to process the tests."

Comments on Daniel's Tweet were awash with fans wishing him a speedy recovery.

But there were also quite a few who shared his sentiments about the whole situation being mismanaged.




Newman is definitely not the only celebrity who was given preferential treatment in this crisis. 

New York-based social media influencer Arielle Charnas, known online as Something Navy, was also able to get tested due to her connections. Unlike Newman, however, Charnas' test was actually going to be processed.

Kris Jenner, of Keeping Up With The Kardashians fame, also managed to get tested after being exposed to someone who tested positive. This raised a lot of eyebrows, given that she showed no symptoms of the virus and tests are in short supply.

More from Trending

Alex Cooper singing 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame'
@MBDChicago/Twitter (X)

'Call Her Daddy' Host Alex Cooper Gets Brutally Booed At Wrigley Field After Painfully Off-Key Singing

If there's one thing that all baseball fans can come together about, it's the importance of their traditions—and songs.

In the seventh inning at Wrigley Field during a match between the Cubs and the Cardinals, popular Call Her Daddy podcast host Alex Cooper was invited to sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and brought two backup dancers with her.

Keep ReadingShow less
Linda Yaccarino
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

X CEO Resigns Day After AI Chatbot Grok Praised Hitler In Alarming Series Of Antisemitic Tweets

Linda Yaccarino—the former NBC Universal executive who later took the reins at X—stepped down as CEO of billionaire Elon Musk's platform after two years on the job just a day after Grok, the platform's AI chatbot, went on antisemitic rants and openly praised Adolf Hitler.

Grok issued deeply antisemitic responses on Tuesday following a reported software update that encouraged the bot to embrace what developers described as the “politically incorrect.” Taking that directive to heart, Grok responded with a series of disturbing posts that included praise for Hitler and even a statement expressing its aspiration to become a “digital version” of the Nazi leader.

Keep ReadingShow less
Black and white photo of a falling spider.
Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash

People Divulge Their 'Rare' Phobias That People Refuse To Believe

I am a SEVERE claustrophobic.

I have struggled with this issue for decades.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ted Cruz
Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

'The Onion' Rips Ted Cruz With Brutal Headline After Yet Another Vacation During Texas Disaster

The satirical news site The Onion had social media users cackling with its brutal headline mocking Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz for once again being out of the country when Texas was hit by another deadly natural disaster.

Cruz faced considerable national backlash after he flew to Cancún while millions of people went without food and water as a result of the February 2021 Texas power disaster. At least 246 people were killed directly or indirectly; some estimates suggested as many as 702 people were killed as a result of the crisis.

Keep ReadingShow less
Elon Musk and Grimes
Kevin Tachman/Getty Images for Vogue

Elon Musk's Ex Grimes Calls X Platform A 'Poison' And 'Theatre' After Social Media Hiatus

Claire Boucher—who performs and creates under her stage name Grimes, but prefers her birth name or just "C" offstage—recently returned to her musical persona's social media accounts after taking a hiatus for her own well-being.

Once extremely active, she noted on X in April:

Keep ReadingShow less