for those who are cruising this week Covid testing cost

[joelheather]

Did anyone have to pay for a covid test out of pocket? We are all vaccinated and just need the whatever the minimum testing is. Was that covered too? 

 

Thanks.

[dinoroger]

CVS Free.

[Mikeandliz]

 

 

10 hours ago, dinoroger said:

CVS Free.

 

I hope so, we have Cigna. We were told they will charge us for any covid testing.

 

[geaux_aces]

8 minutes ago, Mikeandliz said:

 

 

 

I hope so, we have Cigna. We were told they will charge us for any covid testing.

 

I've had to do several covid test for travel purposes and haven't paid a dime. I've done most of them at Walgreens. In some cases they charged my insurance in others they never even asked for the info.  Pretty sure the Gov is picking up whatever insurance doesn't pay.  

[imola]

Does CVS/Walgreens or other places ask why you want to be tested?  Do you say "going on a cruise and required"?  Does insurance cover that?  Does Medicare cost testing?   We are sailing October 3rd and I am thinking we will still need pre cruise testing then.  

[CruisingFromLA]

Here is the CVS questionnaire when making an appointment for a Covid test. Just answer yes to the 2nd question. 

 

 

[Bostwick girl]

I live in Northeast Florida, a hot spot. All the Walgreens and CVS that do testing show no appointments available for 2 weeks out. Our health department does testing, but only on Tuesdays and Thursdays so any of those are currently not open for me unless things change before our August 30 Magic cruise. I can go to the urgent care and get tested but charge is $50 unless you’ve been exposed.

 

[silversneakers]

My insurance company told me they will not cover travel-related testing. I was unable to book a rapid test appt. at CVS, Walgreens or wherever online testing sites appeared.  I could book a PCR but did not want to risk the test results not getting back within the 72 hour window. I finally called my doctor who referred me to an urgent care facility. No online booking for Rapid, I had to call for an appt. and the cost is $60pp.

[sailingships]

10 hours ago, CruisingFromLA said:

Here is the CVS questionnaire when making an appointment for a Covid test. Just answer yes to the 2nd question. 

 

 

THe 2nd Q has the word 'after' You havent been on the cruise yet. 

[petuniaflower]

Would it maybe be yes to the first question?  Thats what I put, hope its correct..

[chasinraynbowz]

I flew to Hawaii in June.  I had to pay $200 for a rapid test.  Hoping to find somewhere that doesn't cost an arm and a leg for our October cruise. 

[kleibo]

https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-testing.jsp

 

Scroll down the page and it says - 

What are my FREE drive-thru COVID-19
testing options?

 

[Earthworm Jim]

2 hours ago, Bostwick girl said:

I live in Northeast Florida, a hot spot. All the Walgreens and CVS that do testing show no appointments available for 2 weeks out. Our health department does testing, but only on Tuesdays and Thursdays so any of those are currently not open for me unless things change before our August 30 Magic cruise. I can go to the urgent care and get tested but charge is $50 unless you’ve been exposed.

 

 

Cruising aside, that's a bad situation for someone who fears they might have Covid. You could be dead in 2 weeks if you have it. As painful as this is to say, I'm not sure us travelers who need a test to travel should be taking up testing slots if there are sick people out there that really need the test more.

Edited August 11, 2021 by Earthworm Jim

[petuniaflower]

20 minutes ago, kleibo said:

https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-testing.jsp

 

Scroll down the page and it says - 

What are my FREE drive-thru COVID-19
testing options?

 

Unfortunately most have no appts, and the few that do you can only book for next day.

[tallnthensome]

12 hours ago, CruisingFromLA said:

Here is the CVS questionnaire when making an appointment for a Covid test. Just answer yes to the 2nd question. 

 

 

So we shouldn’t answer yes to question one but just to number two? Just to clarify as I will be using CVS as well. 

[charliesdad63]

38 minutes ago, Earthworm Jim said:

 

Cruising aside, that's a bad situation for someone who fears they might have Covid. You could be dead in 2 weeks if you have it. As painful as this is to say, I'm not sure us travelers who need a test to travel should be taking up testing slots if there are sick people out there that really need the test more.

 

I agree. It's an unfortunate situation that this is a competition of resources. The cruise industry was not anticipating a fourth wave due to variants and unmasking and vaccine reluctance. We shouldn't have to take spots away from sick people at this point but here we are.

[Joe817]

13 minutes ago, tallnthensome said:

So we shouldn’t answer yes to question one but just to number two? Just to clarify as I will be using CVS as well. 

We are using CVS too. In fact our test is next Wednesday, a week from today. And we both answered "yes" to both questions 1 & 2, FWIW.

[BoozinCroozin]

55 minutes ago, Earthworm Jim said:

 

Cruising aside, that's a bad situation for someone who fears they might have Covid. You could be dead in 2 weeks if you have it. As painful as this is to say, I'm not sure us travelers who need a test to travel should be taking up testing slots if there are sick people out there that really need the test more.

I disagree completely. Everyone should be able to get tested as they see fit. Testing should be covered for free. Testing to travel is just as important as someone testing whether they "may" have covid. If you think you will die in two weeks, get the vaccine and not worry about it!!!

[tallnthensome]

3 minutes ago, Joe817 said:

We are using CVS too. In fact our test is next Wednesday, a week from today. And we both answered "yes" to both questions 1 & 2, FWIW.

When do you find out the cost and if insurance covers it? I wonder if it’s When you finish making your appointment with CVS or not until you are there and getting  your test . Not sure when people are finding out when their insurance covers or does not cover the cost of the Covid test. 

[Joe817]

2 minutes ago, tallnthensome said:

When do you find out the cost and if insurance covers it? I wonder if it’s When you finish making your appointment with CVS or not until you are there and getting  your test . Not sure when people are finding out when their insurance covers or does not cover the cost of the Covid test. 

I am going under the assumption that it is either free(no out of pocket expenses for us), or it's covered by our insurance. Either way, we pay nothing. 

 

I'll report back after our testing. 

[kleibo]

44 minutes ago, petuniaflower said:

Unfortunately most have no appts, and the few that do you can only book for next day.

 

I guess that depends on where you live - my area in NJ has "many appointments available".  I am sure that is different in many parts of the country.

[petuniaflower]

16 minutes ago, kleibo said:

 

I guess that depends on where you live - my area in NJ has "many appointments available".  I am sure that is different in many parts of the country.

Sorry, yes I was referring to FL, as we will be visiting FL pre cruise and will need to test there.

[BoozinCroozin]

Based on what I read, covid testing itself is covered free of charge either by the government program for uninsured or through your own insurance. However, the Rapid Test may not be covered by insurance because it is usually not a necessity. That is what we ran into 2 weeks ago. We had to pay $109 out of pocket for the Rapid Test because it wasn't a medical necessity.

[CruisingFromLA]

1 hour ago, tallnthensome said:

So we shouldn’t answer yes to question one but just to number two? Just to clarify as I will be using CVS as well. 

To my understanding, insurance will not pay for the test for something that is not medically necessary (i.e. testing for voluntary travel). However, they will pay if you were potentially exposed to the virus because social distancing was not possible. Just answer yes to question 2 so that you will not be on the hook for the cost of the test. 

[Earthworm Jim]

1 hour ago, BoozinCroozin said:

I disagree completely. Everyone should be able to get tested as they see fit. Testing should be covered for free. Testing to travel is just as important as someone testing whether they "may" have covid. If you think you will die in two weeks, get the vaccine and not worry about it!!!

 

Certainly everyone should be able to get tested as they see fit. But if the reality is different, which it seems to be in some locations, who should take priority? I'd say someone who actually has enough symptoms to think they have Covid before travel purposes.

 

Testing for leisure travel is just as important as testing the symptomatic? If that's hill you want to fight on, I don't know what to tell you.

 

If anyone thought they would die in two weeks, they'd already be vaccinated. By the time some unvaccinated person comes down with symptoms, it's too late to to make that belated decision. Yeah, it would be great if everyone was vaccinated and testing capacity was unlimited, but unfortunately that's not the world we live in.

 

But you don't need to worry about my opinion. No one is denying travelers Covid tests. And if they tried, people would just claim they have symptoms to get tested.