And local pharmacies will play a role in it.
Home Test to Treat, a collaboration among the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, and the CDC, was launched as a pilot in select locations earlier this year.
Essentially, COVID-19 and influenza treatment, if prescribed, would be delivered free to either patients’ homes or nearby pharmacies. Initial information suggests pharmacies might be able to charge for some of those services.
At the same time, free at-home tests for COVID-19 and flu, if eligible, would be delivered directly to patients requesting them.
“With its expansion, the Home Test to Treat program will now offer free testing, telehealth and treatment for both COVID-19 and for influenza (flu) A and B,” according to an NIH release. “It is the first public health program that includes home testing technology at such a scale for both COVID-19 and flu. The program initially will provide the LUCIRA by Pfizer COVID-19 & Flu Home Test, the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration-authorized test that can detect both viruses in a single test at home.”
The program, headed by the NIH’s National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), pointed out that treatment must begin within a limited window from onset of symptoms, “underscoring the importance of continuity of care, from diagnosis to treatment. In addition, providing these services virtually, while individuals remain at home, is intended to expedite the time to treatment and the convenience of accessing services virtually from home.”
As part of the protocol, any adult (aged 18 years and older) with a current positive test for COVID-19 or flu will be able to enroll to receive free telehealth care and, if prescribed, medication delivered to their home. Adults who do not have COVID-19 or flu can also enroll and receive free tests if they are uninsured or are enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid, the Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system, or the Indian Health Services (IHS). That way, if the recipients test positive at a future time, they can receive free telehealth care and, if prescribed, treatment.
Home Test to Treat is a component of the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) Tech program of the NIBIB at NIH.
Those needing the services are urged to go to the eMed Test to Treat personal portal https://www.test2treat.org/s/?language=en_US.
The Home Test to Treat program was launched nationwide in March 2022 to give patients speedy access to lifesaving treatments for COVID-19 at little or no cost. The test-to-treat initiative is available at thousands of locations nationwide, including pharmacy-based clinics, federally funded health centers, long-term care facilities, and community-based sites. In May 2022, the program was expanded to include federally supported test-to-treat sites, which reach vulnerable communities.
The Home Test to Treat program is especially focused on those who are uninsured, rely on Medicare, Medicaid, or VA insurance, or receive care from IHS.
This means that if a patient is COVID-19 or influenza positive and an eMed healthcare provider prescribes treatment, the treatment will be sent to their home or local pharmacy.
If the patient is eligible and wants at-home tests that can be used for both COVID-19 and flu, those can be shipped for free. Public health officials emphasized, however, that tests are only available to those who enroll when they are not currently positive for COVID-19 or flu.
In other words, free telehealth care and treatment (if prescribed) are available to all adults who are positive for one or both of the infections, but not free tests.
If prescribed flu medication, it will be available at no cost regardless of whether the patient chooses home delivery or local pharmacy pickup.
If a patient is prescribed COVID-19 medication, home delivery will be free regardless of insurance status.
With local pharmacy pickup, the medication will be available at no cost for the uninsured or those enrolled in Medicare or Medicaid. Others might be asked to pay out-of-pocket or use their insurance if they are privately insured or a part of VA Healthcare or IHS.
“Please ask the pharmacy if they have ‘government-procured treatment’ available, which should be available at no cost,” according to the website, which added, “If you choose home delivery, speed of shipping will vary based on the day you complete your telehealth appointment. Medication is not shipped over the weekend.”
The content contained in this article is for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice. Reliance on any information provided in this article is solely at your own risk.
