A self-administered rapid COVID-19 testing swab is handed back to a testing site worker. (WTAQ/Casey Nelson)
MADISON, WI (WTAQ) – The Wisconsin Department of Health Services says a new contract with Vault Medical Services will allow everyone who lives in the state to obtain at-home COVID-19 saliva collection kits at no cost.
“Once you request the kit from the COVID-19 testing web page at the DHS site, it will be shipped directly to your home,” said DHS Secretary Designee Andrea Palm. “The kit will include detailed instructions on next steps, which involves scheduling a video call with a Vault Medical Services health care provider, during which the actual saliva collection occurs.”
It’s then required to seal the package with the packaging provided and send it back to the lab by dropping it in a UPS dropbox. That has to be completed the same day as your collection video call.
You should get results in an email within 48-72 hours.
“This is a PCR test so even though the mechanism of the test is different from the nasal swab you might get at a clinic or one of our community testing sites it has the same level of accuracy,” Palm said. “We will see over the coming weeks what the demand is for this new option and will be able to provide a better information once we see how many folks here in Wisconsin take advantage of this opportunity.”
Vault has the the capability to bill health insurance. If you don’t have health insurance, then that bill will go to the state and it will be covered that way. Palm says that allows the testing to remain at no cost to individuals in the state.
However, some people are already raising questions about the online process. During a media briefing on Tuesday, Palm was asked how it could be free if the site is requesting credit card information.
“We worked to make sure that that was not going to be an issue, but we should take that back and make sure that folks are checking on that,” Palm said. “There should be no cost to Wisconsinites and we would encourage people not to enter their credit card numbers but to exit and go back into the application and try again.”
You can learn more about how to order an at-home test by clicking here.
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