An informed guide to the pandemic, with the latest developments and expert advice about prevention and treatment. |
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 | | Daily reported coronavirus cases in the United States, seven-day average.The New York Times |
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Biden's reimbursement plan |
The Biden administration today released the details of its plan to allow Americans to be reimbursed for at-home virus tests through private insurance. Here's what you need to know: |
- Americans can be reimbursed for eight at-home coronavirus tests per person per month starting Saturday, my colleagues Noah Weiland and Sarah Kliff report.
- People who provide their insurance information will be able to get the tests with no out-of-pocket costs at certain pharmacies. In other instances, they will have to file claims to their insurers for reimbursement, just as they often do for other medical services.
- Tests ordered or administered by a health provider will continue to be covered by insurance without a co-payment or a deductible, the administration said.
- The policy does not apply to tests that Americans have already purchased.
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Roughly 150 million Americans have private insurance, and the Biden administration has begun separate efforts to reach people regardless of insurance status — including a plan to deliver 500 million no-cost rapid tests to the homes of Americans who order them some time this month. |
Some local governments in the U.S. have invested more heavily in rapid testing to counter the latest wave of cases. Washington, D.C., for example, now allows residents to pick up four free rapid tests daily at eight libraries across the city. |
Supplies of the tests, which typically range in cost from $14 to $34 for a pack of two, have quickly sold out at pharmacies and grocery stores, and manufacturers are racing to restock shelves. |
There has been a lot of recent confusion about using rapid at-home tests, so I called my colleague Tara Parker-Pope for an update on the latest guidance. Here are some things she recommends to keep in mind. |
The tests aren't perfect. "I think people are confused because you can test negative one day and still have Covid a few days later," Tara said. "It doesn't mean the test is wrong; it just means the viral load is too low for the test to pick it up." |
Some experts have suggested that early symptoms may be an indicator that a vaccine-primed immune system is fighting the virus. "It could be that your antibodies are fighting off the virus, and so the initial symptoms may be an indicator of our immune system at work," Tara said. So if you have Covid symptoms but test negative, that does not mean you're in the clear — you should still continue to test a few more times. |
Listen to your body. "If your test is negative and you've got a sore throat and a headache and you're congested, why would you believe the test over your own body?" Tara asked. "We have to get over this idea that if we're negative for Covid, it's OK to be around somebody with the sniffles or a cough — it's not. We expect these tests to be perfect, but they can't replace your own good judgment if you're coughing and sneezing and have a fever." |
Think of others. Remember, tests don't keep us well — they keep us from infecting other people. "I think that message has gotten a little lost in the testing conversation," Tara said. "Tests are a huge help, but you still need a multilayered approach of wearing a mask, protecting yourself, avoiding crowded situations." |
Should I swab my throat, too? In Israel, health officials have recommended that people swab the nose and the throat when using rapid tests to increase the chance that they'll detect an infection with the Omicron variant. In the U.S., the F.D.A. has advised against the practice, Tara said, "to avoid invalid results or injuries." |
Tara said she couldn't recommend throat-swabbing at the moment because of the lack of data on the practice, but she is personally open to trying both ways of testing with her daughter, who is visiting. "But do you want to possibly waste a test when your goal is to have many tests available so you can keep testing?" Tara asked. "I think it makes more sense to use your test wisely, especially if you're using them to be around an at-risk person." |
However, Tara added, the F.D.A. should give Americans guidance on the subject. "We need thoughtful, science-backed health advice," she said. "And I feel like the F.D.A. is just trying to tamp this down versus exploring the question and giving us the answer." |
On TikTok and Instagram, videos of at-home virus tests displaying positive results after being soaked in drinking water and juice have been shared widely in recent weeks, and they've been used to push the false narrative that such tests don't work. |
Previous spikes in pandemic-related falsehoods focused on vaccines, masks and the severity of the virus, but the recent demand for testing because of the Omicron variant has given purveyors of misinformation an opportunity to exploit. |
Falsehoods surrounding tests proliferated widely in the last three months of 2021, compared with just a few dozen in the same time period in 2020, according to Zignal Labs, which tracks mentions of misinformation. |
No medical test is perfect, and legitimate questions about the accuracy of coronavirus tests have abounded throughout the pandemic. There has always been a risk of a false positive or a false negative result. |
But the bottom line, as Tara has reported, is that home testing can lower risk, ease worry and allow you to spend time with the people you care about. Don't let misinformation cloud the picture. |
What else we're following |
Over the past year, I come to work, sit down at my desk and my foot inadvertently hits a coronavirus piñata. So, you might ask, "What are you doing with a coronavirus piñata under your desk?" I've had the privilege of working in senior care for the last 33 years. Last year, right around this time, we spent a week celebrating the arrival of the vaccine while recognizing the amazing work of our employees. To launch the week, we gave our staff the opportunity to take a swing at a coronavirus piñata. And wow, did they swing. We ordered 12 and smashed open 11 — only because at the last minute I took one and put it under my desk. Why? Maybe because at that moment I realized that while vaccination was the first step, we still had a long road ahead of us. I am still contemplating the criteria for bringing out the last piñata. Is it when we get to a certain percentage of national vaccinations? Is it when we go from pandemic to epidemic? Is it when testing or masks are no longer required? Or is it simply when we know those we care for are inherently safe? I'm open for suggestions. — Denise Hubler, Rochester, N.Y. |
Let us know how you're dealing with the pandemic. Send us a response here, and we may feature it in an upcoming newsletter. |
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