coronavirus test

Travis Warner of Dallas got tested for the coronavirus at a free-standing emergency room in June 2020 after one of his colleagues tested positive for the virus. The emergency room bill included a $54,000 charge for one test.

The Bill For His COVID Test In Texas Was A Whopping $54,000

5:00pm September 30, 2021

by Aneri Pattani

A businessman from Dallas got a PCR test for the coronavirus at a suburban emergency room. The charge for his test was "egregious" but not illegal, say health care analysts. Here's what happened.

The CDC's early coronavirus test was poorly designed, and it also came with problematic instructions, NPR has learned.

Early CDC Coronavirus Test Came With Inconsistent Instructions And Cost The U.S. Weeks

6:37pm May 21, 2021

by Dina Temple-Raston

An internal CDC report obtained by NPR shows the CDC's original coronavirus test kits didn't just have a fundamental design flaw, but instructions sent to labs to run the test were problematic, too.

A new at-home test for the coronavirus has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The test will cost about $30 and will be available over-the-counter, according to the company who makes it, Ellume.

Health & Safety

FDA Authorizes 1st Home Coronavirus Test That Doesn't Require A Prescription

4:35pm December 15, 2020

by Rob Stein

The new tests produce results completely at home within 15 minutes. Experts say they could be a 'game-changer' in helping people find out quickly if they need to isolate.

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It wasn't easy in early March to get a test in the U.S. confirming you had the coronavirus — scarce availability of tests meant patients had to meet strict criteria linked to a narrow set of symptoms and particular travel history.

Early Coronavirus Testing Restrictions Led To Some Big ER Bills

3:40pm July 06, 2020

by Julie Appleby

People with COVID-19 symptoms in March and April were often billed for expensive scans and bloodwork because they didn't qualify back then for a confirmatory coronavirus test. Some are crying foul.

Los Angeles city attorney Mike Feuer announced a lawsuit against Wellness Matrix Group, alleging multiple scams related to the coronavirus pandemic. The lawsuit was filed in LA Superior Court.

Health & Safety

LA Sues California Company, Alleging 'Sophisticated' COVID-19 Fraud

7:26pm May 27, 2020

by Tom Dreisbach

The city attorney accuses Wellness Matrix Group of "shocking deceptive conduct" over its sales of purported "at-home" coronavirus tests and virus-killing disinfectant.

A member of the AltaMed Health Services staff prepares to take a sample at a drive-through coronavirus testing site in Los Angeles.

California's Coronavirus Testing Still A Frustrating Patchwork Of Haves And Have-Nots

6:00am May 03, 2020

Access to testing is still uneven in the nation's largest state. Even as some urban counties offer tests to anyone who wants one, a rural county is testing raw sewage to track the virus.

Stanford medical student Thomas Koehnkz takes a blood sample from Alan Wessel of Mountain View, Calif., for a coronavirus antibody study.

Antibody Tests For Coronavirus Can Miss The Mark

11:02am April 15, 2020

by Richard Harris

Antibody tests to detect past exposure to the coronavirus will soon be everywhere. But even the best ones can provide wrong answers surprisingly often — and give false assurance.

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Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer, seen here in 2017, says his office has reached a settlement with a company that had been selling at-home tests for the coronavirus. The Food and Drug Administration says it has not authorized any at-home tests.

Health & Safety

Los Angeles Authorities Sue Company For 'Illegally Selling' At-Home COVID-19 Test

5:43pm April 06, 2020

by Tom Dreisbach

The Food and Drug Administration says it has not authorized any at-home tests for the coronavirus. After one company started selling an at-home test in March, the city attorney of Los Angeles sued.