Top 5 COVID19 Testing Sites in DC (NorthEast)
We put together this guide for our fellow NE neighbors
Top 5 Covid19 Testing Sites in Washington DC (NorthEast)
Find free COVID-19 testing sites. Only on RelayCare.
DC, Maryland, and Virginia
This is a follow up to our popular post Top 5 Testing Sites in DC (NorthWest). We are continuing to cover all parts of DC, Northern VA, and our MD neighbors!
Are we better prepared for COVID19 than we were a month ago? Our public responders most certaintly are, but what about us as individuals? As the city begins reopening preparations, we've spent the past few weeks reviewing every single testing site in DC and put together this guide:
- 5 Testing Sites in NE DC
- How to Get a Test
- What Will It Cost
5 Testing Sites in NE DC
1. Kaiser Permanente Capitol Hill (Kaiser Members Only)
700 2nd Street NE | (202) 346-3000
Kaiser's premier DC facility, but only available to Kaiser plan members. You must call in advance for a telehealth screening
2. Med Star Capitol hill
228 7th Street SE | (202) 698 -0795
Technically not in NE DC, but a brand new MedStar facility in the Capitol Hill Neighborhood.
3. UDC Bertie Backus Campus
5171 South Dakota Avenue NE | (855) 363-0333
Further up north, UDC is one of the main public testing sites announced by Muriel Bowser, this testing site is located at the University of DC's Bertie Backus Campus.
4. Unity Health Care Brentwood
1251-B Saratoga Avenue NE | (202) 469 -4699
Unity Health Care provides public testing at their clinics. Please call in advance and limit the number of guests that accompany you
5. Unity Health Care Parkside
765 Kenilworth Terrace NE | (202) 469-4699
Unity Health Care's Parkside location also offers testing. Please call in advance here too!
How to Get a Test
Given all the steps involved, it's helpful to be familiar with how to get a test even if you don't actually need a test (yet). If you have symptoms, or have been in direct contact with somebody who has symptoms you'll want to start out here:
- Call the testing site, hotline, or your doctor in advance for a "telehealth" screening to confirm you need testing-- basically they will confirm over the phone wheter or not you match the requirements for testing
- Schedule an appointment and recieve confirmation -- all testing sites require appointments in advance, and typically require showing proof of the appointment (like showing your confirmation email). Showing up unannounced will lead to bad results!
- Bring necessary identification and your confirmation - in DC this is a dirver's license or other photo identification, and having that email ready-to-show on your phone that confirms you are scheduled for testing
- Arrive early with a mask and be prepared for social distancing - testing sites can be hectic and anxiety can be high! Make sure you continue to practice safe social distancing and do not risk you, other residents, or healthcare workers for unnecessary exposure to COVID19.
Information for public hotlines can be found at coronavirus.dc.gov, all hotlines and testing sites are also available in RelayCare's iPhone and Android apps.
What Will It Cost
TLDR; Cash prices are around $140 to $200. Your insurance could make it free.
Cash prices aren't always publicly reported and can vary quite a bit. Our users have reported prices around $50-$150 for private testing sites around DC.
Using health insurance, nearly all insurers have eliminated cost-sharing at in-network locations-- basically this means your testing can be free if you go to the right place.
While this has been difficult task in the past (what insurance do I have, where can I go, is it covered?), RelayCare's app lets you find the right place pretty quickly.
No Insurance?
If you don't have insurance, DC has offers 3 public options for free testing: United Medical Center, Howard Univeristy Hospital, and UDC's Bertie Backus Campus. The cost of testing is covered by DC; however, an appointment is still required in advance. More information is available at coronavirus.dc.gov or we recommend just using RelayCare's app to get the latest set of options.
Worth noting: prices for COVID-19 treatment itself are not waived-- and can be in the tens of thousands of dollars if it requires staying multiple days in the hospital.
Additionally, some work-based plans have opted-out of cost-sharing elimination, so it's always worth confirming before you recieve treatment that the amount owed matches what you are expecting.
Conclusion
If we don't want to repeat our past, every single member of your team needs to be prepared. Not just prepared for the worst, but prepared to take quick action even when things seem not-so-bad. Otherwise, we risk spreading infections to the entire team.
When you get your testing, be sure to practice safe social distancing and thank our brave healthcare workers who are on the frontlines.
Find free COVID-19 testing sites. Only on RelayCare.
DC, Maryland, and Virginia
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