A San Francisco startup is shipping coronavirus home test kits to sick Californians for $167

[iluvtennis]

A San Francisco startup is shipping coronavirus home test kits to sick Californians for $167
Katie Canales Mar 20, 2020, 12:49 PM

https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-home-test-kits-carbon-health-startup-2020-3

* San Francisco-based healthcare startup Carbon Health is offering $167 home test kits for the coronavirus disease for patients in California.

* Californians who qualify are those who feel sick and are recommended by healthcare providers to stay home.

* Carbon Health is one of a few companies developing at-home test kits for COVID-19 as the US grapples with a shortage of tests.

Carbon Health, a healthcare startup based in San Francisco, announced Friday that it has started shipping home test kits for the coronavirus disease, known as COVID-19.

The tests cost $167.50 and consist of a saliva sample taken from an oral swab. The test kits are currently available to patients in California, with plans to expand nationwide depending on state regulations. Patients who qualify to request the kits are those who feel sick and are recommended by healthcare providers to stay home, but who are opting to stay out of medical centers so as not to potentially expose others.

Patients are asked to first create a Carbon Health account and complete the company's free online screening test. According to its website, the company's free Coronavirus Assessment Tool is "based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines." Patients that are eligible for the test kits will then be able to order and pay.

The test offerings are in partnership with Alto Pharmacy, a San Francisco-based online pharmacy that offers same-day prescription deliveries.

"Between supply shortages and lack of capacity, testing for COVID-19 is one of our country's biggest obstacles to containing the outbreak," said Eren Bali, cofounder and CEO of Carbon Health, in a press release. "Our proprietary technology and partnership with Alto Pharmacy allowed us to move fast and efficiently create, analyze and distribute testing."

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short article, no more at link

[Hoyt]

1. Those with Medicare coverage can get a non-home test for no cost, Medicare pays about $51 to lab.

[iluvtennis]

2. Excellent to know. Thanks for the post. nt