COVID-19

• County-sponsored community location
• If you don’t have health insurance, you can get a free COVID-19 test at a community location regardless of your immigration status.
• If you have insurance you can go to a community location but you will need to provide insurance information.

Many sites test children of any age. Check with the testing site to find out if they offer PCR and/or antigen tests.

Visit covid19.lacounty.gov/testing or text 1-844-833-1334 to find a location near you. If you don’t have access to the internet, email, or need help arranging a test, call 2-1-1.

• Health center or pharmacy
  Visit Community-Based Testing Sites for COVID-19 to find sites across the US.
  • If you don’t have health insurance, the provider may ask you to enroll in a government program so that they can get reimbursed for the cost of the test.
  • If you have insurance, you may need to provide insurance information.
  • If you are unable or unwilling to provide insurance information, some sites may charge a sliding scale fee.

The County does not endorse or regulate all COVID-19 testing sites. Please make sure to read and ask about any costs for a COVID-19 test.

• By mail from the Federal Government
  Each household can request four free tests shipped by the US Postal Service. Place an order at covidtests.gov or call 1-800-232-0233.

• At a Public Health Multi-Service Vaccination Site.
  Click here (Spanish) for hours and locations.

• At an LA County Library.
  Find a library near you.

• In your community
  Many food banks, senior centers, and other local organizations offer free test kits for pick-up.

• At a pharmacy with your Medi-Cal or Medicare card
  Get the Medi-Cal or Medicare card(s) for each person in your family. Show the card(s) to the pharmacist at the counter where prescriptions are dropped off. You can ask for 8 free at-home COVID-19 tests for each person each month.

• Using other health insurance
  Most people with a health plan can get up to 8 at-home tests per month for each person on the plan. There are several ways to get tests using health insurance including:
  • Get the tests mailed to you.
  • Pick up free tests at a pharmacy.
  • Buy a test from a pharmacy or other retail store and save your receipt. You can submit your receipt and get paid back for all or some of the cost. The test must be authorized by the FDA. A list of FDA-authorized home-tests can be found here.

Call your health plan or visit their website for instructions.

For more information, visit the CMS webpage How to get your At-Home Over-The-Counter COVID-19 Test for Free.

You collect the sample yourself and then mail it to a laboratory for testing. Results are usually available 24-48 hours after the lab receives the test.

• Order a kit online at covid19.lacounty.gov/testing. The kit, testing, and mailing are all free. You must be age 65 or older OR unable to leave your home and
• Have symptoms of COVID, or
• Think you were exposed to COVID-19. Learn more.

If you have insurance, your health insurer is required to cover the entire cost of testing if a doctor orders the test. You do not need to have symptoms to request a test.

Insurance companies may not cover COVID-19 testing if done as part of an employee return-to-work program. If your employer requires a test, go through your job.