To: Montana COVID-19 Testing Partners
From: Montana DPHHS, Public Health and Safety Division
RE: Changes in COVID-19 Rapid Antigen and PCR Testing Support
We wanted to provide an update on changes happening in the near future regarding the COVID-19 testing services offered by Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS).
Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, DPHHS has provided COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing through the state Public Health Laboratory (SPHL) and our reference laboratories at no cost to many organizations across the state to support our pandemic response. The federal funding to support these testing activities is ending and near exhaustion. Therefore, DPHHS will cease the distribution of free rapid antigen test kits and free PCR testing to all organizations, with two exceptions (below), beginning on December 11, 2022. Organizations/facilities will need to directly purchase COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits from vendors. A list of selected vendors that provide rapid antigen test kits is attached. COVID-19 PCR testing will still be provided by the SPHL and MAKO reference laboratory but there will be a charge associated with the test (see below).
After December 11, 2022, the SPHL and MAKO can continue to provide COVID-19 PCR testing but there will be a charge associated with this work. The SPHL will charge the ordering provider for PCR testing and MAKO will bill patients’ insurance. The MAKO laboratory requisition forms include the additional patient information that will need to be completed to bill patients’ insurance. In addition to the SPHL and MAKO there are other clinical laboratories that can provide COVID-19 PCR testing.
DPHHS does have federal funding from CDC (through June 30, 2023) specifically to support the free distribution of rapid antigen tests to K-12 schools and early child care facilities in coordination with local and tribal health departments. This federal funding allows schools, early childhood education facilities (ECE), daycares, and health departments to use this funding to support the detection and mitigation of COVID-19 in communities to maximize in-person learning days. To order testing supplies, use the following link: https://PHEP.formstack.com/forms/covid_testing_supplies_request.
State health care facilities can continue to order rapid antigen test kits from DPHHS as needed. To order testing supplies, use the following link: https://PHEP.formstack.com/forms/covid_testing_supplies_request. These facilities can also continue to submit specimens for COVID-19 PCR testing to the SPHL or MAKO. These services will continue to be provided until the remaining and limited federal funding is exhausted. These facilities include the Montana State Hospital (Anaconda), the Veteran’s Homes (Columbia Falls, Glendive, and Butte), the Montana Mental Health Nursing Care Center (Lewistown), the Intensive Behavior Center (Boulder), and the Montana Chemical Dependency Center (Butte).
Thank you,
Montana DPHHS
Selected COVID-19 Testing Supply Vendors |
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Vendor Name |
Sales Representative |
Products Offered |
| Abbott | Dorothy (Jan) Ahten (425) 417-7803 Dorothy.Ahten@abbott.com |
Antigen: BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card PRO Kits, 40 tests in a kit
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Antigen: BinaxNOW OTC Self-Test 2-Test Kits, 6-12 kits in a case |
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Molecular: ID Now COVID-19 Molecular Test Kit, 24 tests in a kit; ID Now Testing Instrument, ID Now Testing Reagents for Flu A/B, Strep A, and RSV |
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| BD Veritor | Contact a sales representative at 1-800-638-8663 or email VeritorCares@bd.com | Antigen: BD Veritor At-Home COVID-19 Test Kit, 2 tests in a kit |
| Molecular: BD Veritor Plus System, 30 tests per product; Products for detecting COVID-19, Flu A+B, Strep A, and RSV; BD Veritor Plus Analyzer (Instrument) | ||
| Access Bio | Complete the “Contact Us” information located at the following link and a sales representative will reach out to you: https://accessbio.net/products/covid-19-detection-kits/carestart-covid-19-antigen#order |
Antigen: CareStart COVID-19 Antigen Kits, 20 tests in a kit (includes test devices, assay buffers, specimen collection swabs, and controls) |
| Antigen: CareStart COVID-19 Antigen Home Test Kit; options for 1 test, 2 tests, 4 tests, or 20 tests in an order. | ||
| Molecular: CareStart COVID-19 Mdx RT-PCR, 100 tests in a case; Thermo Fisher Applied Biosystems 7500/7500 Fast Real-Time PCR instrument | ||
| Quidel | Contact a sales representative at 1-800-874-1517. Select option 1 andthen: -Option 1 for antigen tests -Option 2 for molecular tests |
Antigen: Sofia SARS Antigen FIA, 25 tests in a kit; Transport Tubes (25 swabs) |
| Antigen: QuickVue At-Home OTC COVID-19 Test Kit; options for 1 test, 2 tests, 10 tests, and 25 tests in an order. | ||
| Molecular: Lyra Direct SARS-CoV-2 Assay, 96 tests in a kit; microwell and microfuge formats | ||
Additional Resources
• Health Resources and Services Administration: FAQs for COVID-19 Claims Reimbursement to Health Care Providers and Facilities for Testing, Treatment and Vaccine Administration https://www.hrsa.gov/provider-relief/about/covid-uninsured-claim/faq#
• In Vitro Diagnostics EUAs – Antigen Diagnostic Tests for SARS-CoV-2 https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-emergency-use-authorizations-medical-devices/in-vitro-diagnostics-euas-antigen-diagnostic-tests-sars-cov-2#IndividualEUAs
• In Vitro Diagnostics EUAs – Molecular Diagnostic Tests for SARS-CoV-2 https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-emergency-use-authorizations-medical-devices/in-vitro-diagnostics-euas-molecular-diagnostic-tests-sars-cov-2