Total Testing Solutions participates with a wide range of local insurance plans and national insurance plans alike to make covering the cost of COVID testing with insurance easy for patients throughout the greater Los Angeles and San Diego areas. We are also contracted with more than 50 medical groups.
It is the patient’s responsibility to understand whether the insurance plan has rules or limitations regarding the specific doctors or clinics you can go to for medical services. We understand that our patients may have questions regarding accepted insurances. Please contact our billing department or your insurance carrier if you need any assistance.
COVID insurance coverage is readily accessible nationwide due to the pandemic. Total Testing Solutions also accepts cash payments for all COVID-19 testing services.
Financing options are available as well through a CARES account for uninsured patients. If you are uninsured, we will bill for this through our CARES account and the patient will NOT receive a bill.
Yes, the first PCR COVID-19 test is covered by insurance with no out-of-pocket costs.
As of 3/18/2020, the FFCRA mandated that all private, public, and self-funded insurance plans have to cover the cost of PCR COVID-19 tests. A PCR test is a viral test that uses a nasal or oral swab to detect active COVID-19 infection.
There are some limitations to the types of tests that insurance will cover in regard to COVID-19 testing. Insurance generally only covers a one-time or first-time PCR COVID19.
Recurring PCR tests are generally not covered, requiring the patient to pay out of pocket for repeat COVID testing after the first one. We strive to keep individual COVID-19 testing affordable for patients throughout the Los Angeles and San Diego areas with this in mind.
We offer COVID-19 tests in Los Angeles and San Diego. Unlike other COVID-19 testing clinics, we simply bill your insurance carrier without requiring the patient to pay any copays, deductibles, or hidden fees.
If you are participating in a group COVID-19 test that is organized by your business, then the company may use the employee insurance plan to cover the first PCR test. Again, repeat testing is rarely covered by insurance policies.
Frequently, the employer takes on the cash-pay expense of companywide repeat COVID tests that are required of employees. Note that an employed person that wishes to have an individual COVID-19 test that is not mandated by the company will likely have to use their own insurance policy. As always, the first PCR test is covered by insurance, and additional tests in the future have an out-of-pocket cost. We offer special financing and bulk rate options for employers when applicable. Please contact our team to learn more.
It is also important to note that a PCR test is different from an antibody test. PCR tests are performed to establish an active infection in a patient. Meanwhile, COVID antibody tests are used to determine if a patient had a past COVID-19 infection. Insurance generally does not cover COVID antibody testing. Only the first viral PCR test is covered.
We offer Rapid COVID-19 Tests with test results in as little as 15 minutes with the Abbott Now ID device. Cash-pay options are available, insurance and CARES financing only cover standard PCR tests. While rapid tests give the fastest possible results, the out of pocket cost may deter some patients from choosing it. The standard viral tests such as the PCR test that is covered by insurance delivers the test results within 24 to 48 hours. It is necessary to self-quarantine at home until the test results come back with a negative result. For patients that can’t wait that long to receive a diagnosis, the rapid tests are well worth the out of pocket cost.
When you schedule a COVID-19 test with Total Testing Solutions, please bring your insurance card. As long as the patient provides complete and accurate insurance information, we can submit the claim to your insurance carrier in order to receive payment for services. There is no out-of-pocket cost for COVID-related consults, so you will not receive a bill from insurance or Total Testing Solutions for this.
Yes. Insurance does cover testing for COVID-19, however, there may be some stipulations in that coverage. Ultimately it is the responsibility of the covered individual to confirm their specific coverage details with regards to COVID-19 services. The California Department of Managed Health Care does require its managed health care plans or HMOs to cover screening and testing for COVID-19 for free for all essential workers and when the plan finds that testing is deemed medically necessary. Additionally, Medi-Cal health plans also have access to no-cost care for testing, screening, treatment, and vaccines for COVID-19. This means that many patients will be able to receive COVID-19 testing services with no out of pocket cost, however please be advised that your plan may limit you to specific COVID-19 testing providers or test types, and may impose limitations on the frequency with which you can be tested at no cost. We recommend contacting your insurance provider before your appointment to confirm coverage. In an effort to keep cost down for our patients, Total Testing Solutions will not charge more than $50 to any individual if the test is not covered or only partially covered.
Yes, it is possible to later submit a claim to your insurance for either drive-thru testing (PCR or antigen) or any over-the-counter tests you may have purchased from Total Testing Solutions. Please refer to your specific insurance website on how to download a claim form and submit a receipt for your testing services provided by Total Testing Solutions. If you have any questions regarding reimbursement you can contact [email protected].
Yes, if your insurance provider does not accept a claim for COVID-19 testing services, the policyholder will be responsible for an out of pocket maximum cost of $50. This can occur if your carrier has limitations on which testing providers you may be seen by, the number of times you can receive a covered test, or if they only accept claims for specific test types (ie PCR vs Antigen). If the insurance carrier does not provide payment for the entire claim submitted, the individual will be responsible for the remaining balance up to $50. For example, if the insurance pays $80 for testing services and the patient has a $20 copay, the patient will receive NO bill. If the insurance pays $40 and the patient has a $20 copay, the patient will pay $10 out of pocket. Total Testing Solutions will always bill the insurance first and attempt to receive payment from the insurance. In the event insurance does not pay, we will ask the patient for reimbursement to a maximum out-of-pocket cost of $50.
As of March 23rd, 2022, the United States Congress failed to provide essential funding to the federal government that would allow individuals to continue to receive testing at no out-of-pocket cost. As a result, unfortunately, we are forced to temporarily suspend the provision of zero cost Covid-19 testing to our community members. We are disappointed by this news, and are hopeful that Congress will approve funding soon that will allow services to continue at no cost to the individual.
Yes, you can. Unfortunately HRSA has not received further funding from congress and so the no cost testing program has stopped. You can however pay our cash rate for testing. We have three main options for cash testing. Rapid antigen $49, rt-PCR (24-72hr results) $99 and rapid rt-PCR testing (same day results) $149.
Virtual Testing is a new service designed to make COVID-19 testing more convenient than ever by providing a lab certified result to accompany any FDA EUA authorized at-home test.. With Virtual Testing, you may use an at-home rapid antigen COVID-19 test to set up an appointment with a trained test administrator over video call, from the comfort of your home, hotel or airbnb. Your test administrator will confirm your identity and walk you through proper testing protocols to ensure the most accurate result possible. At the conclusion of your test, your administrator will issue a digital result via text and email that is lab certified and equivalent to what you would receive at any of our on-site testing appointments. This result can be used for work, travel, school or simply for your own records.
While PCR tests are still considered the ‘gold standard’ of COVID-19 testing, at-home tests do have similar sensitivities to PCR tests particularly when the patient is contagious or the viral load is high. The majority of at-home tests have an overall sensitivity of roughly 85%, which can vary depending on the brand of test used, as well as the time frame relative to the infection that the test is taken. Common issues with at-home tests can result from user error. For this reason we recommend scheduling a virtual testing appointment to take your at-home test so that a trained test administrator can walk you through best practices for self swabbing and ensure the most accurate results.
It is recommended that you check with your destination country and airline prior to departure to confirm the most recent travel requirements with regards to COVID-19. Currently, the United States and most other countries are accepting viral tests administered at ranges from 24 to 72 hours prior to departure. These tests include PCR, NAAT, & Rapid Antigen (including at-home/OTC!) tests for travel.
Yes! The United States is accepting results from rapid antigen tests for reentry to the country for travelers, within 24 hours from the time the test was administered. Virtual testing allows a convenient way for you to test in the confines of your hotel or airbnb prior to returning to the United States. Simply purchase a test, pack it with you, schedule your virtual testing appointment 24hrs prior to travel and print your results! With virtual testing you will receive a lab certified result that is approved for travel via text and email at the completion of your test.
If you need any help understanding COVID insurance coverage or our CARES financing for the uninsured, you may contact Total Testing Solutions by phone or email for insurance-related issues. Our team will get back to you as soon as possible.
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