Secaucus-based Quest Diagnostics on Thursday said it is now a participating partner in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Increasing Community Access to Testing (ICATT) for COVID-19 program, which is designed to support free COVID-19 laboratory testing for patients in U.S. communities that have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic.
“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, vice president and general manager, Infectious Disease and Immunology, Quest Diagnostics. “We commend CDC for harnessing the power of public-private collaboration to broaden access to critical COVID-19 laboratory testing for those most in need. By making high quality laboratory testing financially accessible, this CDC-brokered model may help contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and other contagions.”
The program is designed to support free COVID-19 laboratory testing for patients in U.S. communities that have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic.
This will provide qualified uninsured individuals access to Quest Diagnostics’ COVID-19 molecular diagnostic testing at approximately 1,200 of its 2,100 patient service centers.
The CDC is harnessing the power of public-private collaboration to broaden access to critical COVID-19 laboratory testing for those most in need.
To qualify, individuals must complete a brief online screening questionnaire via QuestDirect, the consumer-initiated testing service from Quest Diagnostics. Both uninsured and insured individuals two years of age and older are eligible.