- As the coronavirus continues to surge across the U.S., it’s important for people planning to get together with family and friends to get tested.
- At-home COVID-19 testing kits are becoming commonplace and can even be covered under standard health insurance plans.
- Coronavirus testing kits currently require a nasal swab, but Bill Gates believes less-invasive options will become available in 2021.
It’s never been easier to get a COVID-19 test, which is good news given that the coronavirus pandemic today is worse than it’s ever been. Indeed, one of the reasons why the coronavirus is surging is because people who have the virus and are relatively asymptomatic can unwittingly spread it to anyone they come in contact with. In light of that, and with the Christmas holiday right behind us, many health experts fear that January could be the worst month of the entire pandemic.
Put simply, if you’ve been hanging out with people outside of your pod, or if you’re planning to, the smart move is to get tested regardless of whether or not you’ve experienced any symptoms. The good news is that at-home COVID tests are plentiful and relatively straight forward to use.
One option for at-home COVID testing comes from LabCorp. The company has an at-home collection kit with a nasal swab. All you have to do is send the swab sample back to the company and they’ll let you know if it comes up positive for COVID-19. The company notes that the average wait time for results is about 1-2 days after the sample is returned back to them. It’s also worth mentioning that LabCorp operates 7 days a week
What makes LabCorp’s testing option so appealing is that you can use your health insurance when placing your order.
The site notes:
Please be aware that upfront payment is not required to obtain a kit. Federal legislation enacted in March 2020 requires comprehensive private health insurance plans to cover this test and provides funds for reimbursement to providers for COVID-19 testing for uninsured patients. If you choose to pay out-of-pocket, you are electing not to seek reimbursement through this mechanism.
When placing an order, LabCorp will take down your insurance information to streamline the entire process.
If you don’t have insurance or if your carrier won’t cover it, LabCorp’s testing kit costs $119, which is quite pricey. But not to worry, there are other home testing kit options available. As we covered earlier this month, Walmart and Sam’s Club are now selling coronavirus testing kits as well that cost as little as $99 depending on what type of shipping option you choose. What’s more, these kits include a telehealth call in instances when a person does in fact test positive for COVID-19.
Walmart’s COVID-19 test kit can be purchased over here while the coronavirus test kit from Sam’s Club can be found right here.
