The goal of these sites is to reach portions of the community that have historically had the least access to health care services, Falsey said. Your browser is not supported for this experience.We recommend using Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari. For help finding a COVID vaccine provider or making an appointment, you may: Visit vaccines.gov to find appointments near you. spoke with the Anchorage Assembly Health Policy Committee, one post to its social media accounts on Wednesday. More details below. It wasnt immediately clear why the transition occurred so abruptly. Capstone now technically runs seven testing sites in the city, according to McNeily. Providence, which is the largest healthcare provider in the state, was contacted by Dr. Anne Zink, DHSS chief medical officer, who asked about the feasibility of setting up a drive-through testing center on hospital-owned property that was not currently in use. Testing is not going away, Anchorage Health Department director Joe Gerace said during a meeting Wednesday, pointing out the city was adding a testing site in West Anchorage. Walgreens offers no cost drive-thru test appointments, as well as at-home COVID-19 test kits. Ensure the test codes you need are mapped in your EHR. Do you need chains in the winter? How do I get between Anchorage and my cruise ship? We found flights from Los Angeles to Anchorage for June for as low as $207 roundtrip. Watch out for ticks. ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - A new temporary drive-thru COVID-19 testing site is opening in Midtown Anchorage, according to the Southcentral Foundation. What should I do if I am traveling and get sick? The community sites, which are run by a company called Visit Healthcare, provide testing for free and do not require a referral from a provider. All three of Anchorages hospitals are currently operating under crisis standards of care, as the extra-contagious delta variant has filled intensive care units and stressed staffing and bed space. If the cruise will take a rapid antigen test, then many Walgreens are going that within 24 hrs. Ive seen it every time Ive pulled in for Assembly meetings, Young said. Once the PHE expires on May 11, CMS will no longer provide blanket coverage for the cost of over-the-counter COVID-19 tests, the agency said. C.D.C. Laboratory Testing for COVID-19. There was no information on social media sites run by the Anchorage Health Department as to the reason for the change or specific revised locations. * Providence caregivers, if you have been exposed to COVID-19, please notify your Core Leader and Caregiver Health, who will help you with next steps for your care. Please visit these companies' websites to learn more about their efforts to provide timely and accessible COVID-19 testing or to schedule an appointment. How How much do COVID-19 tests cost? We have also expanded the scope of who we test; weve transitioned from only testing patients with symptoms to those who are asymptomatic but may need clearance for travel or work.. Longstanding testing contractor Visit Healthcare is being replaced by Capstone Family Medicine, a Wasilla-based company that operates medical clinics but also scores of COVID-19 testing sites around the state, including at airports and in local communities. That increased transmissibility appears to be due to the subvariant's ability to avoid . According to the CDC, there are two types of tests available for COVID-19: viral tests, which tell individuals if they have a current infection, and antibody tests that tell them if they had a past infection. If you feel sick or you have tested positive for COVID-19, taking care of your health is the most important action you can take. The federal government has announced the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency will end May 11. Weekly Deals on Home Health Care; At-home COVID-19 testing; Close menu; Household & Pet Essentials. And we can help you connect with resources in your community. Rate Visit. Anchorage, AK 99501-3567 Phone: (907) 269-7900 1-800-INSURAK (in-state, outside Anchorage) Talk to one of our care coordinators about how to best use your health care benefits. 2: International and Interstate Travel, Municipality of Anchorage Public Health Information, State of Alaska Public Health Information, Click here to access a nationwide test locator, State of Alaska's COVID-19 traveler information page, email the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services. Increase testing accessibility A company official, Emily Oestreicher, said in an email that it hopes to continue its testing work. We focus on ensuring a safe, welcoming, and affirmative environment when providing you with sensitive and high-quality health care services like: Hormone therapy; Substance use and alcohol treatment; Testing and treatment for HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI) Mental health care For more traveler information, follow the most current information from the Centers for Disease Control, theAlaska DHSS, and Municipality of Anchorage. All VA health care facilities offer same-day help. We quickly did some remodeling and established a drive-through, and for a period of time, we were the only drive-through center, says Bernstein, adding that the state then encouraged other areas to establish similar sites. Especially since many Assembly members, at the behest of the community, just advocated for expanded services, since lines were spanning parking lots and it was taking hours to get a test, said Assembly Member Meg Zaletel. COVID-19 Testing; Vaccination Services; Bulk Test Kits; Check all that apply. COVID-19 tests found through this site are available at no cost. Anchorage Assembly member Meg Zaletel, health policy committee vice chair, said the health department announcement came as a surprise and she was still trying to get more information. The foundation announced Tuesday that is has provided funding for the temporary site, located at 999 E. Tudor Rd., which is being operated by Visit Healthcare. We help Veterans who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless due to financial hardship, unemployment, addiction, depression, or transition from jail. I dont know much yet. When Alaskas News Source reached out to the Anchorage Health Department for an interview about the changes on Thursday, spokesperson Robert McNeily replied that the health department had widely noticed the new testing site location via social media. Testing specifically for grocery store workers is also available Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Muldoon Community Assembly site, and restaurant and bar workers can test every Wednesday at the Fairview Community Recreation Center. Anchorage businesses have ramped up sanitation procedures, adjusted operations to allow for increased physical distancing, and added new touchless or curbside options to minimize customer contact. Below, youll find our address and hours, parking and transportation information, and the other health services we offer at Colonel Mary Louise Rasmuson Campus of the Alaska VA Healthcare System, formerly Anchorage VA Medical Center. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site. Our specialists provide a full range of services to help you get and understand your prescription medicines and supplies. The change comes as Visit Healthcare's COVID-19 testing contract is set to run out at the end of the month. The site is secure. That trend could change, he continued, but the rate has continued to fall over the last several weeks. NEW YORK With the upcoming end of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), the US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid on Monday announced planned changes to how it will reimburse for SARS-CoV-2 tests. Copyright 2021 KTUU. Our services include: Contact an Alaska VA MST coordinator as a personal contact to assist with any MST-related issues; Matthew Kauhn, LMSW and Amy Hufstedler, PhD; 907-257-5446. People coming through the site also brought increased knowledge as it became apparent that there were gaps in the information they needed. Your primary care team can coordinate the many services you receive such as: If youre returning from military service, we can help you readjust to civilian life and get started with VA health care. People had a lot of questions when they came to the site; for example, we realized that a lot of people didnt know that they needed to quarantine afterwards. The sites are operated by Visit Healthcare, a health care company focused on emergency response. ICATT vendors bill tests to third-party payers, such as Medicare, Medicaid . A website developed by the Anchorage Innovation Team lists current openings and other information: Click here to learn more. We may screen you for COVID-19 symptoms at the entrance. For information about state health mandates, email the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services or visit the department's FAQ page here. Over 30 years of helping FQHCs improve revenue. COVID-19 TESTING to SIGN UP for your visit and get your results electronically. Our women's health program offers complete health care for women Veterans of all ages. Some Anchorage businesses require masks for staff and customers, too. COVID-19 Information The city in October cited short funding as a reason to cut back free testing during the summer-fall COVID-19 surge. Along with the municipal sites, free testing is also available at Walgreens Pharmacy locations in Anchorage. The five testing sites will be located in the parking lots of the following: ChangePoint Church, 6689 Changepoint Drive Fairview Community Recreation Center, 1121 East 10 th Avenue Anchorage Church of Christ, 2700 Debarr Road We can help you readjust to civilian life if you're returning from military service, on active duty, or an activated National Guard or Reserve member. Specialties: Covid testing in Anchorage, AK is available at Alpine Urgent Care with options to include in-clinic testing, drive-up tests, and mobile Covid testing. Many sites across the community offer drive-up, free testing without appointments needed. Capstone Clinic opened a new COVID-19 drive-thru testing site at 4810 C St. on Wednesday. If that fails, they then apply that persons information to the HRSA program. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions, "People really want to look for a place that they can feel like its their home, says Wasilla dentist Tyler Mann. Alaska Regional Hospital in Anchorage photographed on Oct. 27. The Alaska State Public Health Laboratory in Anchorage and the Alaska State Virology Laboratory in Fairbanks are both testing for SARS-CoV-2 using the CDC's real-time PCR assay, Hologic's Aptima SARS-CoV-2 Assay, and Thermofisher's TaqPath COVID-19 Combo kit.Fact sheets for patients and healthcare providers are available in the links below. We invite you to write a letter to the editor or reach out directly if youd like to communicate with us about a particular article. She drove to the University of Alaska Anchorage testing site but it was also closed. We offer many programs and services, including free health care. We work to: Our patient advocates work hard to make sure you receive the best possible care at our health care facilities. It was costing us, at peak time, it was costing us $445,000 a week for testing. Join Us! Our services for women Veterans include: We provide COVID-19 vaccines to Veterans as well as their spouses and caregivers. General Questions and Assistance: Call 2-1-1 or 1-800-478-2221 Language Access: christy.lawton@alaska.gov Vaccine: covid19vaccine@alaska.gov or 1-907-646-3322 Data: data.coronavirus@alaska.gov Schools: aksmartstart2020@alaska.gov Media Questions: sonya.senkowsky@alaska.gov Search CDC's Guidance Some exceptions apply; read more from the CDC. 3. ANCHORAGE, AK - On Friday, July 31, the Municipality of Anchorage will open five new COVID-19 testing sites. The Loussac Library put out a poster on its door, and made posts to Facebook and Twitter late Wednesday notifying people about the location change. We also provide vaccines to Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) recipients and VA staff. She's a fellow with Report for America, and is a graduate of the University of California Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. The self-pay rate for a COVID-19 screening visit is $79, and the lab fees range from $75-$130, depending on the type of test ordered. All rights reserved. The decision was made back in July to start looking for some alternate options due to the fact that Visit (Healthcare) would not drop their rate from a pre-pandemic rate to a currently more common rate, which is the HRSA rate, Gerace said. This change also comes with Capstone taking over the Visit Healthcare location in Eagle River, the Loussac replacement site at 4810 C St., and a new testing site in Alaska Park on Spenard Road. We are a well-tested community, which is assisting us in identifying cases early to prevent further spread of COVID-19 in our community.. The community level of Covid-19 in Anchorage Municipality is low based on cases and hospitalizations, according to the most recent update from the C.D.C. The State of Alaska encourages travelers who are not fully vaccinated to practice social distancing until test results arrive. Text your ZIP code to 438829 or call 1-800-232-0233 to find vaccine locations near you. Thanks.]. Here's how it works: 1. I think its a failure of the administration to not have communicated this better, Perez-Verdia said. We are proud to have made a significant impact on the safety and well-being of this community.. It takes a village to establish and run a test siteaccording to Gray, in Anchorage this includes the MOA for contracting, oversight, and some public information; the Alaska Public Health Laboratory and a laboratory in the Lower 48 for running tests; the Alaska State Epidemiology Office for reporting testing outcomes; MOA Traffic and Engineering for traffic patterns at the sites; and contractors who are doing the work. You get tested regardless, but they would now also have the opportunity to bill for it, Perez-Verdia said. The Municipality of Anchorage is expanding the hours and locations of its free drive-thru COVID-19 testing sites. The drive-through testing site on Lake Otis Parkway, originally established by Providence Health & Services Alaska, had tested more than 32,000 people as of mid-October. Our confidential outpatient services include individual and group therapy for: We offer care for military sexual trauma in our mental (behavioral) health clinics. All Rights Reserved The one thing that they were not expecting, and were very relieved to see, was just how much support they received from the community.