YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE AND COVID-19 TESTING AND VACCINATION

If you have a qualifying medical plan in Washington state the cost of testing and vaccination for COVID-19 is covered by your health insurance plan.

If you have a COVID-19 test or a vaccination from your doctor’s office, a clinic, or a hospital they may charge a facility fee. We recommend calling the provider and asking if they charge a facility or other fees. Whenver, if possible use an in-network provider.

If you have questions about charges for COVID-19 testing or vaccines you can contact the

• Insurance Commissioner (insurance payments): 800-562-6900

• Department of Health (provider charges): 800-525-0127

COVID-19 vaccines, per Mike Kreidler, the Washington Commissioner of Insurance, are covered under preventive care. Almost all plans cover preventive care 100%. If this changes Commission Kreidler will issue a notice.

VACCINATION 

Vaccines are becoming more accessible. You can find vaccine locations below. Enter your zip code, search radius, select a vaccine, and choose “appointments available.” 

Washington State 

doh.wa.gov/emergencies/covid19 

Across the U.S. 

vaccines.gov 

There are other locations offering vaccinations that may not be on these lists. 

TESTING 

Testing is an important part of helping to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus.  

Where can you get tested? 

There are many testing facilities. Some are free and some are not. Some have walk-in and/or drive-in facilities.

There are pop-up testing sites that may not be on the list below. 

This information is subject to change as it is updated by the City of Seattle, King county and the state of Washington. 

doh.wa.gov/emergencies/covid19  

Should you make an appointment?

Yes, if possible. Many places will only take people with an appointment. Few places will accept people without an appointment. 

How do You make an appointment?
Find the location you want, click on the website, complete your information. Choose a time early in the day, some places have long wait times in the afternoon. Next steps:

• A confirming email with location, date, and time will be sent to you

• Arrive at the testing location early with your visit confirmation in hand

How do you get your test results?
The testing facility will give you a “Get your results” sheet with your personal “retrieval code.” Go to the website on the sheet, enter your retrieval code. Follow the instructions on the sheet for your result. 

When someone is tested it is recommended, they quarantine until they receive their test results. If positive continue to quarantine, contact a doctor, clinic, or hospital depending on the severity of symptoms. If negative, continue to wear a mask outside your home and maintain social distancing of at least six feet.

Contract Tracing, Is there an app for that? WA Notify
Yes, there is an app, WA Notify. Washington State Governor Jay Inslee announced a “privacy-preserving technology and works without collecting or revealing any location or personal data.”

“By adding WA Notify to their smartphones, Washington residents will be alerted if they spent time near another WA Notify user who later tests positive for COVID-19.”

      Read the article and download the tool for Android and iPhones:

      https://www.governor.wa.gov/news-media/inslee-announces-statewide-covid-19-exposure-notification-tool

When should you get tested?

• You may have been exposed to someone who tested positive for the virus

• You have symptoms of fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea. This list does not include all possible symptoms. Visit CDC website for more information: 

                 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html

• Your doctor or dentist requires a test for an upcoming procedure 

• You are an essential worker, and your employer requires frequent testing

• You are planning to visit someone outside your household, like an elderly parent

• You are traveling to Hawaii; this state has strict pre-travel requirements. Visit the website below: 

     https://hawaiicovid19.com/travel-partners/

What is COVID-19? 
It’s new virus in the family of coronaviruses, highly contagious, spread by air from infected people. 

The virus is similar to SARS-CoV and was named SARS-CoV-2. It can cause mild to moderate upper-respiratory tract illness leading to serious illness and death. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) learned of the new virus on December 31, 2019, after a cluster of cases of “viral pneumonia” in Wuhan, People’s Republic of China. WHO renamed it COVID-19 for the year 2019. 

https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters  

https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-covid-19 

Do People Die from COVID-19? 
Yes, people can die from this virus. 

See CDC link for the most recent data: 
https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases_casesper100klast7days 

Is There a Cure for COVID-19? 
No, there is not a cure for this virus currently. 

How do we stop the spread of COVID-19?  

• Get vaccinated.

• Follow the CDC guidelines and your local government for wearing a mask and social distancing. 

• Wash your hands. 

• Quarantine. If you or someone you know have COVID-19 symptoms or a positive test, quarantine for at least 14 days and/or until the test is negative. 

• Contact tracing. If you or someone you know tests positive for the virus contact everyone who was exposed, they will need to quarantine.  

• Moderate to severe symptoms contact your doctor, clinic, or hospital. 

This information is subject to change as it is updated by the city of Seattle, King county and the state of Washington. 

This is a summary of only and does not constitute health or legal advice. Definitive information can be sourced from local, state, and federal websites.