Reporting Requirements for BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Tests in Assisted Living Facilities

DHS Logo Original 07/11/2018

Division of Quality Assurance: Assisted Living

Attn: Assisted Living Providers

Reporting Requirements for BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Tests in Assisted Living Facilities

On September 14, 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) began shipping BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Tests, also referred to as point-of-care antigen tests, to designated Assisted Living Facilities to conduct rapid testing of staff and residents for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. These tests should not be confused with the Polymerase Chain Reactions (PCR) tests.

COVID-19 is a reportable disease in Wisconsin. Assisted Living Facilities must report cases of COVID-19 to local/tribal health departments within 24 hours. Facilities must meet state and federal reporting requirements for all test results as indicated below.

State reporting requirements:

  • Assisted Living Facilities are required to report positive laboratory test results from point-of-care antigen tests, i.e. BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Tests, to the local/tribal public health departments within 24 hours.
  • Facilities are not required to report negative results to local/tribal public health departments or to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) at this time.
  • Guidance about COVID-19 reporting requirements may be found at: DHS COVID-19 Health Care Providers - Reporting and Surveillance

Federal reporting requirements:

  • Assisted Living Facilities that received, and are using, BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen testing supplies from the federal government, are required to report both positive and negative test results to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in accordance with federal guidance.. For additional information see: COVID-19 Rapid Point-Of-Care Test Distribution
  • Assisted Living Facilities using BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Tests must report test results the same day they perform the test.

Report to all organizations at the same time:

  • Assisted Living Facilities who wish to have results sent to local/tribal public health departments, DHS, and CDC (a branch of HHS) simultaneously, may report results, positive and negative, electronically by Web-based Laboratory Reporting (WLR) or pre-existing Electronic Laboratory Reporting (ELR) connections.
  • The Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) facilitates this effort and recently presented an informational webinar on WLR reporting and has a request form to begin the sign-up process for WLR reporting.
  • Results reported via WLR or ELR will be forwarded to DHS, local/tribal public health departments, and the CDC.
  • Questions regarding WLR may be referred to Mary Wedig at Mary.Wedig@slh.wisc.edu or 608-224-4274

For more information on the use of COVID-19 antigen tests and reporting requirement, please refer to Health Alert #17.