Quest Diagnostics partners with CDC on free COVID-19 tests

Dawn Furnas//July 7, 2022

Quest Diagnostics, based in Secaucus, is now a participating partner in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Increasing Community Access to Testing for COVID-19 program, which offers free lab testing for patients in underserved communities.

According to a July 7 announcement, Quest will expand access to $0 out-of-pocket COVID-19 testing to qualified, uninsured individuals at approximately 1,200 of its 2,100 patient service centers.

Quest said the CDC chose Quest following a competitive bid but did not disclose financial terms.

Additional ICATT partners are CVS, Walgreens and eTrueNorth, according to the CDC’s website.

“Through this relationship with CDC, Quest will extend access to our COVID-19 diagnostic services in underserved communities, helping to close equity gaps in the nation’s pandemic response,” Ruth Clements, Quest’s vice president and general manager, Infectious Disease and Immunology, said in a statement.

Clements added that partnerships such as these “may help contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and other contagions.”

To qualify, individuals must complete a brief online screening questionnaire via QuestDirect. The website will then direct a qualified, uninsured individual to schedule an appointment at an ICATT-participating Quest Diagnostics patient service center. Qualifications include being symptomatic, recent exposure to someone with COVID-19 and/or other health risks.

Insured individuals may use the same portal to check whether they are eligible for a $0 out-of-pocket COVID-19 test to be billed to their insurance.