Walgreens offering Pixel by Labcorp At-Home COVID-19 PCR kits at no cost
Walgreens, in collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services and Labcorp, a leading global life sciences company, announced a program to make Pixel by Labcorp COVID-19 at-home PCR collection kits available for curbside and in-store pickup at more than 1,000 stores nationwide.
The program is designed to offer customers access to convenient, reliable testing at no cost and with no insurance or eligibility requirements. This initiative builds on Walgreens collaboration with HHS and Labcorp to offer COVID-19 at-home collection kits nationwide at no cost to individuals who meet clinical guidelines.
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Participating stores are prioritized in locations without drive-thru testing services, primarily located in metropolitan areas, helping to provide greater access to free COVID-19 tests for people who cannot pay out of pocket for testing services.
“With many state-operated COVID-19 testing sites closing, accessible free testing options are limited, even as cases continue to rise in certain areas of the U.S. This means some are struggling to afford critical COVID-19-related services like testing,” said John Standley, president of Walgreens. “Walgreens is proud to expand our partnership with HHS and Labcorp to help address these barriers, particularly for uninsured, socially vulnerable and medically underserved populations who continue to be among those most impacted by COVID-19.”
The Pixel by Labcorp COVID-19 At-Home PCR collection kit uses the same PCR test trusted by doctors and hospitals across the country. PCR testing is considered the gold standard in diagnosing COVID-19, and the test detects all current variants of the virus.
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“Throughout the pandemic, Labcorp has used science and innovation to make testing available to consumers in easy and convenient ways,” said Amy Summy, chief marketing officer at Labcorp. “Our goal is to provide everyone access to critical COVID-19 testing to improve the health and lives of those we serve. Expanding our collaboration with Walgreens to include no-cost COVID-19 tests for curbside pickup makes getting tested easier, especially for those most at risk.”
To pick up a free Pixel by Labcorp COVID-19 At-Home PCR collection kit, individuals need to follow four easy steps, including:
- Choosing a pickup store and time online. There is a limit to one test per kit order, and availability varies by store;
- Entering patient information. Individuals do not need to enter insurance information;
- Picking up the test kit. When a kit is ready, individuals will receive an email with detailed pickup instructions; and
- Registering the kits, collecting and sending in samples. Individuals will be directed to register the kit through Labcorp OnDemand, collect their sample at home and drop it off at a Walgreens FedEx counter or a FedEx drop-off location to send it to a lab for processing. Shipping is free with a pre-paid return pack.
With Walgreens pharmacies embedded in communities across the country, patients can easily access critical COVID-19 services. In addition to this new COVID-19 testing program, Walgreens provides free drive-thru COVID-19 testing for everyone ages 3 years old and older at more than 7,000 locations nationwide and over-the-counter test options for purchase online and in stores.
Customers can ask their pharmacist if their insurance plan offers coverage with no out-of-pocket cost for OTC tests. If the plan does not offer this coverage, customers can save their receipt and submit a claim through their insurer for reimbursement. Walgreens is committed to providing equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, testing and treatments in the communities the company serves, and has administered more than 65 million COVID-19 vaccines and 29 million COVID-19 tests.