How to Get Free Flu and COVID-19 Tests and Treatments

As we head into winter, health experts expect that cases of flu and COVID-19 will start to creep up. One piece of good news: if you do get sick, there’s a way to get tests and treatments for both—without paying a cent. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have teamed up with digital health company eMed to create an at-home test-to-treat program that offers free tests for both flu and COVID-19, and, if you are positive, free telehealth visits and antiviral treatments that are sent to your home. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] For now, there are some restrictions about who can enroll and receive the free tests. After the program officially launched last month, following a flood of requests from people eager to stock up on the tests, NIH and eMed decided to prioritize people who could not afford them, including those without health insurance and those on government plans such as Medicare, Medicaid, and Veterans Affairs coverage. But the treatment part of the program is open to anyone over 18 who tests positive for flu or COVID-19, regardless of whether they used one of the free tests from the program. People who enroll will be connected to a telemedicine provider via eMed, to discuss whether they could benefit from an antiviral treatment. For the flu, that includes four approved drugs: Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) Zanamivir (Relenz...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized COVID-19 healthscienceclimate Source Type: news