Members of Congress have a special doctor to call when they have coronavirus worries

This story was updated to reflect new information.

When Miami Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart became ill last Saturday night, he was able to obtain a coronavirus test through a taxpayer-funded medical office that exists exclusively to serve lawmakers in Washington.

And when Diaz-Balart became the first member of Congress to test positive for the novel coronavirus on Wednesday, his fellow lawmakers who may have been exposed received guidance from the same office on what to do next.

The Office of the Attending Physician has existed since 1928, and a staff of Navy doctors and nurses are on hand to provide healthcare to members of Congress and the Supreme Court for a small yearly fee.

Diaz-Balart was able to get tested quickly after he began experiencing symptoms while self-quarantined, even though the availability of tests nationwide is extremely limited. Diaz-Balart initially reached out to the Office of the Attending Physician for guidance, according to his chief of staff, because he wanted to make sure he didn’t expose his wife, who has an existing health condition, to the virus.

“He couldn’t get a test before he had symptoms,” Diaz-Balart’s chief of staff, Cesar Gonzalez, said.

It’s not clear whether Diaz-Balart’s symptoms — which included a headache, fever and cough but did not include difficulty breathing — would have been enough for the congressman, 58, to secure a coronavirus test at a Washington-area hospital or clinic. Diaz-Balart’s office said the congressman is “getting better, little by little.”

Diaz-Balart did not have other known risks: extensive contact with someone who tested positive for coronavirus, travel recently to a country of concern, live in a nursing home or work as a healthcare worker. Doctors in Washington have the ability to recommend a test for someone who doesn’t meet that criteria, but tests remain in short supply.

Diaz-Balart’s positive test, along with the positive test of Utah Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams, who was hospitalized over the weekend, set off a wave of self-quarantines in the House of Representatives.

McAdams was referred for a coronavirus test by his personal doctor in Utah after developing symptoms. Diaz-Balart chose to stay in Washington to self-quarantine, which gave him access to the Navy doctors on Capitol Hill.

And Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul’s positive test on Sunday led to Utah Republican Sens. Mike Lee and Mitt Romney to self-quarantine as a precaution.

The self-quarantines led to calls for members of Congress to cast votes remotely, as hundreds of sick lawmakers could make it nearly impossible for the House and Senate to function. Gonzalez said it’s important for sick members to get access to testing so positive cases can be quarantined and healthy lawmakers can continue voting on bills in person. The Constitution makes specific references to Congress meeting in person although some members believe the change to remote voting could be made through congressional rules.

Paul’s positive test raised the ire of Miami Democrats, who criticized his decision to get tested despite showing no symptoms. Paul also did not self-quarantine after being tested, and was spotted using the U.S. Senate’s gym hours before his positive test was announced.

“As for Rand Paul, he’s a doctor, he should have known better,” Miami Democratic Rep. Donna Shalala said. “There’s a good reason why Diaz-Balart got tested, because he had symptoms and his wife was at a higher risk of catching the disease.”

Miami Rep. Frederica Wilson said it was “extremely irresponsible of Senator Paul to get tested and not self-quarantine while awaiting the results.” Wilson decided to self-quarantine out of caution after attending a meeting with Diaz-Balart.

“Getting tested is a huge step and [Paul] should not have gone out in public without knowing whether he was positive or negative,” Wilson said.

Paul’s office released a statement on Monday explaining that his decision to get tested was due to his extensive travel and heightened risk after a part of his lung was removed in an operation last year, but it did not say who conducted the test. His office did not respond to a request for comment.

The Office of Attending Physician updated its internal website Monday evening to specify it has not tested any member of Congress who was asymptomatic. When the office conducts a coronavirus test, it is not expedited and goes through the same process as anyone else who receives one from a healthcare provider, the website said. The member of Congress is expected to self-isolate while results are pending.

“At the OAP, individuals considered for testing must exhibit symptoms,” the website read. “They must have no alternative explanation for illness (such as influenza A), and they must have a nexus to risk. If these criteria are satisfied, a nasopharyngeal swab is collected and sent to a commercial testing laboratory.”

South Florida Reps. Shalala, Wilson, Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Debbie Mucarsel-Powell all said they are healthy and have not been tested for the novel coronavirus. The same applies to Florida Sen. Rick Scott, who will stay in self-quarantine until Tuesday morning after he spent time in Miami with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, whose press secretary tested positive. Sen. Marco Rubio, who had minimal contact with Paul and Bolsonaro, has not been tested and has not self-quarantined.

“Senator Rubio shared the duration and nature of his interactions with Senator Paul with the Office of Attending Physician,” Rubio spokesperson Nick Iacovella said in an email. “It was determined they were low-risk interactions that do not require self quarantine.“

Wasserman Schultz, who attended meetings with both Diaz-Balart and McAdams, said she does not need to be tested because she isn’t showing symptoms.

“I have not been tested, nor exhibited symptoms,” Wasserman Schultz said in a statement. “After conferring with the Attending Physician of Congress, we determined that I am at very low risk. And given the limited access and shortage of tests for the wider public, it makes sense that only those who need one should get one right now.”

Central Florida Rep. Stephanie Murphy, who announced a self-quarantine after extended contact with McAdams, the Utah representative, said she isn’t showing symptoms and hasn’t been tested.

“I remain asymptomatic and my self-quarantine will end this Friday, which is why I haven’t sought a test,” Murphy said in a statement. “With the ongoing shortage of tests available to healthcare workers who are at the front lines battling this disease and to those who are immunocompromised, I encourage everyone to also follow these recommendations, stay home if they are sick, and contact their doctor before they seek a test.”

But Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez were able to obtain tests after interacting with a staffer of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro who tested positive for COVID-19. Neither showed symptoms at the time of their test. Suarez tested positive; Gimenez tested negative.

Shalala, the former Secretary of Health and Human Services from 1993 to 2001, said additional city officials who had contact with Suarez — about 40 people — shouldn’t have been tested.

“I have no idea how some officials in Miami got tested unless they have exposure or have symptoms,” Shalala said. “Why our elected officials got tested and their families got tested — they have to tell people why they got to the front of the line. To use the argument ‘the continuity of government is important’ is not acceptable.”

Suarez said dozens of people tied to Miami city government were tested too in a blitz that, according to public statements, included the wives of some Miami commissioners.

Gimenez’s aides and family weren’t tested because his test came back negative, though Gimenez, who is running against Mucarsel-Powell for her congressional seat, tweeted that it was necessary for him to be tested because he’s the county’s incident commander in times of emergency.

Wilson said she understands why Gimenez and Suarez wanted to get tested, but that elected officials shouldn’t be able to get special treatment in a time where people who are sick aren’t able to get tested due to a lack of availability.

“These tests were done because of extraordinary circumstances, but I do not think elected officials in their ordinary capacities need to skip the line,” Wilson said. “There aren’t enough tests to go around for many people who desperately need them.”

Miami Herald reporter Douglas Hanks contributed to this report. McClatchy DC reporter Emma Dumain contributed to this report.

This story was originally published March 23, 2020 at 6:38 PM.