Are COVID tests still free around KC? If you don't have insurance, it's complicated [The Kansas City Star]

Apr. 6—Federal funding for COVID-19 testing expired at midnight on Tuesday, March 23. This development has sparked confusion around Kansas City and beyond about whether COVID-19 tests will remain free for uninsured patients, or include a copay for patients with health insurance.

The Star has found that there's no one simple answer to this question. We contacted more than a dozen local testing providers in both Missouri and Kansas, and received a variety of responses. We'll update this information as we learn more.

Heavy Construction Laborers: Drive-through testing is free regardless of insurance status and is offered on Mondays and Thursdays through the Kansas City Health Department. An appointment is not required.

University Health: If you have insurance, you will have to pay a copay. Your copay will depend on your insurance provider. If you do not have insurance, the clinic recommends that patients purchase a $127 voucher for a PCR test online from MDSave. Without this voucher, a PCR test costs $180. You need to make an appointment.

Curative: This testing provider runs many testing sites around Kansas City, including those at two Metropolitan Community College locations, two Transit Authority centers, and at UMKC. They currently offer PCR tests for free to anyone, regardless of insurance status. People with health insurance can also choose to get a rapid test, which their insurance should cover in full. People without health insurance can no longer receive rapid tests at these sites. You can make an appointment online.

Samuel Rodgers Health Center: Testing is free regardless of insurance status. You need an appointment.

Johnson County Health Department: Testing is free regardless of insurance status. You can make an appointment for the Olathe location here.

Vibrant Health KC: Making an appointment here to get tested for COVID-19 costs money, but the testing itself does not. This means that any tests performed at Vibrant Health's drive-through clinics, which do not take appointments, are free for everyone regardless of insurance status. Appointment costs are on a sliding scale based on your income.

Swope Health: Testing is free regardless of insurance status. You can make an appointment here.

Family Health Care KC: Testing is free regardless of insurance status. You can find more information on how to get a self test kit here.

CVS: An operator at this pharmacy chain's COVID-19 line told The Star that if you do not have health insurance, a rapid test costs $120 and a PCR test costs $139. If you do have health insurance, it should fully cover the cost of these tests. They said this is true in both Kansas and Missouri.

Walgreens: A pharmacist at a Kansas City location told The Star that testing is free regardless of insurance status.

Hy-Vee pharmacy: A representative of eTrueNorth, the company that runs testing for Hy-Vee Pharmacy, told The Star that testing is free regardless of insurance status. You can make an appointment online here. However, some of the listed Hy-Vee locations are no longer offering testing. Call your chosen pharmacy location to confirm they are offering testing before you make an appointment.

Patients on Medicare now have access to up to eight COVID tests per month.

This story is based on phone calls made to the listed testing providers. Have you been charged for a test at a place that's supposed to be free, or gotten a free test at a place that charges money? Let us know at [email protected].

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