Covid tests - eMed, Inspire or iHealth proctored tests?

[ChiefMateJRK]

As others have reported, the availability of rapid antigen testing in my area appears to be diminishing.  CVS used to schedule two weeks out, but is now only allowing same day scheduling.  Too risky for the one day window we'll have before leaving for our cruise.  It appears that eMed, Inspire and iHealth are the most common options for online proctored tests right now.  eMed is $150 for six tests plus ~$20 FedEx shipping.  Inspire is $45 per proctored test.  iHealth is $25 for the on-line test session plus the cost of the test kits.  I have four that the Government sent me for free, so no additional cost.  I would like feedback on the pros and cons of these options from those who have actually used them.  iHealth has some pretty restrictive computer requirements (no smart phones and only Google browser), but otherwise looks pretty good.  Inspire apparently only sends one kit per test, so if there is an issue there will be a problem.  eMed is obviously the highest cost.  Thanks in advance for any feedback.  I have to determine a course of action in the next week or two.

[hallux]

21 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

eMed is $150 for six tests plus ~$20 FedEx shipping

and if you needed fewer you can order from the Optum store (same place, same tests, different name for some reason) and spend less.  https://store.optum.com That's where I got mine, got 2 for $70 (they had free shipping at the time).

[wacruiselover]

You can also get smaller packages of the eMed test through the Optum Store as recommended by @BirdTravels. The two pack is $69.99 and used to include free shipping. Make sure to buy and extra in case things go wrong with one of them (video glitch, loss of internet, who knows?).

 

Sorry - typing while hallux was posting.

 

They also have a 3 pack that includes free shipping.

Edited April 24, 2022 by wacruiselover

[vacation44]

We used Inspire in February and had no real issues other than there was a little  mix up when I requested to have our appointment changed.  We plan to use them again for our September Bermuda cruise. 

[jlabs03]

I have used the emed test 3 times and will be using as long as testing is required. It is super easy.  I never had to wait for a proctor. The entire thing takes about 20 minutes, 15 minutes is waiting for the test. While waiting for the test you do not need to stay in view of the camera only your test does. I have used my phone twice and my iPad once and never had an issue. My daughter was 14 so I have her under my account and I had to do her test and show my ID. You can also submit the emed to your insurance and they may pay part or all of the cost. 

[kona_wahine]

We used eMed, used 2 of the tests in March, very simple, no problems. Going to use 2 more in 2 weeks, and then the last 2 in June. (All for cruises) We used our IPads when we did the tests. Others suggested, and I concur, to watch a YouTube video to get a feel for taking the online tests. 

[BirdTravels]

4 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

As others have reported, the availability of rapid antigen testing in my area appears to be diminishing.  CVS used to schedule two weeks out, but is now only allowing same day scheduling.  Too risky for the one day window we'll have before leaving for our cruise.  It appears that eMed, Inspire and iHealth are the most common options for online proctored tests right now.  eMed is $150 for six tests plus ~$20 FedEx shipping.  Inspire is $45 per proctored test.  iHealth is $25 for the on-line test session plus the cost of the test kits.  I have four that the Government sent me for free, so no additional cost.  I would like feedback on the pros and cons of these options from those who have actually used them.  iHealth has some pretty restrictive computer requirements (no smart phones and only Google browser), but otherwise looks pretty good.  Inspire apparently only sends one kit per test, so if there is an issue there will be a problem.  eMed is obviously the highest cost.  Thanks in advance for any feedback.  I have to determine a course of action in the next week or two.

I use the link on the NCL and Royal sites to get smaller quantities eMed kits. We have used them for most of our Royal and NCL cruises (including this month for the Encore and last month on the Wonder of the Seas). Our insurance company reimburses the full cost of the kits. I use my iPhone for eMed. They switch between the forward facing and backward facing cameras to look at you or looking at the QR codes, expiration dates or test results. You get an email report and online report within a few seconds of the proctor seeing the negative result. 

 

 

[ChiefMateJRK]

4 hours ago, wacruiselover said:

The two pack is $69.99 and used to include free shipping. Make sure to buy and extra in case things go wrong with one of them (video glitch, loss of internet, who knows?).

Thanks.  I just did a mock order.  One three pack for $100 requires a shipping fee of $8.  Two two-packs (four tests) for $140 with free shipping.    There are three of us, so I'm leaning towards paying the extra $32 for cheap insurance in case one of us has a problem with the test process.

[NYFirstTimeCruiser]

UPDATE:

     I ordered emed 6 pack that came out to around $170. Applied for Caremark insurance reimburesent and got $72 reimbursement.

 

Used one today and it went smoothly.  Download the navica app and reuslts go to your phone and also emailed in case you don't want to download the app.

[Pitzel]

We used the eMed tests and had a great experience. Ordered a 3-pack from Optum and they were shipped to us quickly ($100 for the 3-pack plus $8 for expedited shipping to make sure that we had them in hand in PLENTY of time before we flew out for our cruise). I have not requested reimbursement yet from my insurance company, but I believe that some, if not all, of the cost should be covered.

 

The tests themselves went very smoothly once we had accounts set up. Very little wait for the proctors. We completed the tests on a smart phone -- we brought a selfie stick that had a built-in mini tripod which was PERFECT for this application. We were able to set the phone in place on the table in front of the test, could pivot it up and down as needed, and it stayed in position during the 15 minute wait time without us having to hold it or keep it propped up. I would absolutely recommend getting a small tripod if you need to do remote covid testing and don't have a laptop available.

 

A couple of notes:

• If you use a smart phone, you will need access to both your front and rear cameras during the test period. The rear camera is used for scanning QR codes and for reviewing your photo ID. The proctor will switch between cameras during the test, so make sure that there is nothing either in front of or behind your phone that you wouldn't want a 3rd party viewing and recording.
• The session is recorded, including the 15 minute wait time. You can mute your microphone during that time, but you cannot shut off the camera. 
• You can only complete one test at a time. If you have multiple people in your family or traveling party who need to test, you either need to wait for each test session to complete before starting a new one or you will need multiple smart phones/computers and separate quiet areas in order to run multiple sessions at the same time.
• If you have children or teenagers, you will need to create a profile for them as an administered account under your own account. You will also need to be present for the testing (you will need to do the nasal swabbing) and will need to show your own ID during the test.
• Results come back very quickly and will be emailed to you and will show up as a record in the app.
• The cell reception at the port may be spotty (we had some issues at Port Canaveral), so it is best to screenshot your test results and keep the images on your phone for easy retrieval. Do not rely on being able to pull up results from the app or from your email inbox while at the port.

[cruiserbear55]

6 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

As others have reported, the availability of rapid antigen testing in my area appears to be diminishing.  CVS used to schedule two weeks out, but is now only allowing same day scheduling.  Too risky for the one day window we'll have before leaving for our cruise.  It appears that eMed, Inspire and iHealth are the most common options for online proctored tests right now.  eMed is $150 for six tests plus ~$20 FedEx shipping.  Inspire is $45 per proctored test.  iHealth is $25 for the on-line test session plus the cost of the test kits.  I have four that the Government sent me for free, so no additional cost.  I would like feedback on the pros and cons of these options from those who have actually used them.  iHealth has some pretty restrictive computer requirements (no smart phones and only Google browser), but otherwise looks pretty good.  Inspire apparently only sends one kit per test, so if there is an issue there will be a problem.  eMed is obviously the highest cost.  Thanks in advance for any feedback.  I have to determine a course of action in the next week or two.

 

 We used the E-Med tests. Bought a six pack. Did one test a few weeks ahead of time to make sure we would know how to do it come the test day. Used an I-Pad. Had to raise the area in front of the camera so it would "see" the test kit. Everything went well. About 1 1/2 hours for the four of us.

   My only suggestion/ complaint about the tests is their call center is in a foreign country. Hence the proctors/ supervisors/ reps are foreign. The language barrier can be formidable. I personally am hearing impaired, and wear hearing aids. ( Too much loud R+R back in the day!).  My wife had to run interference for me while taking the test, as I could understand very little of what was said.

   Outside of that, everything went well. Has the results back to print or store on the device of your choice in about 2 minutes.

 

 

[adamdm]

Just checking in from Allure, used iHealth proctored test to board of 4/22 without a problem!  The test credentials were looked at twice, for about 5 seconds each.  While there was no CLIA number on this particular test results page, it just appears that they are scanning for "NEGATIVE" and a valid date.

 

More notes on boarding:

 

• The at-port COVID testing people looked VERY bored and excited for the opportunity to find a possible person to test — so I don't think there would have been any issue if for whatever reason my test had been rejected and I needed an impromptu result at the port, even though I know the cruise line says you must have an appointment in advance.  (I know this because I went into the wrong door when my cab dropped me off and walked right into the area where they were doing it.)
• While I did not arrive until a few minutes before my appointed time of 2:00, there did not appear to be anyone checking people's boarding times at all in spite of multiple messages received not to come before our appointed time.  Maybe this is something that by 2:00 they no longer care about.
• I don't believe they looked at my vax card other than what I scanned into the app for pre-check-in.
• Bag search seemed very cursory as well — kinda regretted not throwing a couple of bottles of booze in my backpack; it did not seem like anyone would have known or cared but I could be wrong.

Edited April 25, 2022 by adamdm

[ChiefMateJRK]

19 hours ago, jlabs03 said:

I have used the emed test 3 times and will be using as long as testing is required. It is super easy.  I never had to wait for a proctor.

 

16 hours ago, Pitzel said:

Very little wait for the proctors.

Am I correct in understanding that an appointment is NOT required for the eMed tests?

[Pitzel]

26 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

 

Am I correct in understanding that an appointment is NOT required for the eMed tests?

That is correct. No appointment needed or offered, as far as I could tell. 

[hallux]

1 hour ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

 

Am I correct in understanding that an appointment is NOT required for the eMed tests?

No appointment.  when I did my test in March I was connected to a proctor within 15 seconds or so..

[Oceansaway17]

well, if CVS is at least back to same day booking, perhaps they are working out the bugs and will get back letting us book a few days in advance.  I would use CVS now as my backup to Walgreens and emed.  

 

I hope all testing changes to 3 day or just plain old go away.

But with now no masks needed on planes and perhaps sitting next to an unvaxxed person, me thinks the testing will go on and on and on forever.  Just swell.

[Sailing12Away]

We ordered the 6 pack from eMed. For the price of the 4 pack it didn't pay, may as well get 2 more kits for just a little more since we've got plenty of trips already booked. Kits arrived within 24 hours, and all have expiration dates into 2023.

 

When you get your email confirmation they send you a simple receipt that has all the exact info you need for submitting to your health insurance. Took all of 3 minutes to do to apply for the reimbursement, which will offset the $170 cost. 

 

We opted for that one since you can get connected to a proctor within 5-10 minutes of you saying you're ready. Since we'll be overseas at the time, figured that was easier than pre-arranging a specific date/time that we had to be mindful of and do math for time zone changes and such.

[ChiefMateJRK]

10 hours ago, Sailing12Away said:

Kits arrived within 24 hours, and all have expiration dates into 2023.

This is very helpful.  Did the Fedex delivery require somebody to sign?  That's a problem at times.  It's good to hear about the expiration dates.  We may go this route, as there are three of us taking two cruises this year.  We were hoping the test requirement would be gone by this fall, but.....

[cruiserbear55]

6 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

This is very helpful.  Did the Fedex delivery require somebody to sign?  That's a problem at times.  It's good to hear about the expiration dates.  We may go this route, as there are three of us taking two cruises this year.  We were hoping the test requirement would be gone by this fall, but.....

   No signature required.

[RocketMan275]

Have you considered your local acute care providers, ie, Doc In A Box? We used American Family Care. No appointment necessary.  Printed results in less than 30 minutes.  No cost to us.  Just call around to determine  your options.  BTW, NCL had no issues with their results.

[WillandTam]

I may have missed it in the replies, but are the government issued IHealth tests accepted by NCL? We are sailing on the Sky on a 9 day cruise May 16 but will be in Miami on the 14th so we will have to test from the hotel. 

[oracer]

Quick question we are on an NCL cruise in August. Can I order the test now just to have them?  Can I sign up and have the accounts ready to go now?  I sail on a Sunday, so our approach will be to do the test with the proctor on Friday ( 2 days before sail date).  Leaning towards eMed. Does this sound like a good plan?

[njhorseman]

38 minutes ago, WillandTam said:

I may have missed it in the replies, but are the government issued IHealth tests accepted by NCL? We are sailing on the Sky on a 9 day cruise May 16 but will be in Miami on the 14th so we will have to test from the hotel. 

You can't just use the test kits as is. You have to pay iHealth $25 for a proctored telehealth session to have a valid test for NCL or other travel purposes.

[njhorseman]

12 minutes ago, oracer said:

Quick question we are on an NCL cruise in August. Can I order the test now just to have them?  Can I sign up and have the accounts ready to go now?  I sail on a Sunday, so our approach will be to do the test with the proctor on Friday ( 2 days before sail date).  Leaning towards eMed. Does this sound like a good plan?

I wouldn't do it this far in advance. COVID testing protocols can change frequently and may be quite different in a couple of months. The tests are easy to buy on short notice so there's no advantage to ordering them now.

[oracer]

So I can use the government issued tests?  I just pay the $25 fee for a proctor to view?  I use a iHealth website to set that up and pay the $25 fee per person?