Coronavirus Disease 2019

Antigen testing fulfills many of the screening, response, and exposure testing requirements for most staff and residents as described in the Guidance for Community Care Facilities. For guidance on when an antigen test needs to be followed up by a PCR test, see the LAC DPH Antigen Testing Guidelines.

The Health Officer Order for Healthcare Personnel requires staff members for most CCFs to be up to date with COVID-19 vaccines or to be tested at a regular interval (weekly or biweekly). There are a few options available to employers seeking COVID-19 testing to meet these requirements, summarized here:

• Employers must inform all employees on how they can obtain COVID-19 testing. This could be through the employer, local health department, the federal government, a health plan or at a community testing site.
• Cal/OSHA Test FAQs
• LAC DPH COVID-19 Testing for general information about testing including types of tests, when, where, and how to get a test, and understanding test result
• Establish an ongoing partnership/contract with existing laboratories for employee testing.
  • Please click here to review LA County and State laboratory reference lists to find a testing partner. Links to guides are available under Laboratory Information.
  • Please note all commercial and Medi-Cal health plans in California must provide COVID-19 testing and visits with zero cost sharing. Health plans must cover the testing whether the person is symptomatic or asymptomatic and regardless of whether the person has had recent known or suspected exposure to COVID-19. See Department of Managed HealthCare All Plan Letter (7-26-21).

• Take advantage of State Testing resources. The State Testing Task Force supports PCR and antigen testing programs. PCR tests results are highly sensitive and provide results in 24-48 hours. Rapid antigen tests are performed onsite and provide results in 15-30 minutes.
  • Information is available on the State Testing Task Force Antigen and PCR Testing Resource pages. Click here and enter your organization type to get started. The website will guide you through an application process to access either PCR testing through the Valencia Branch Laboratory or Antigen testing with confirmatory PCR testing.
  • To qualify for the State Testing Task Force resources, employers will need a lab directory, healthcare workers to administer the test, and a CLIA waiver. 

• County-sponsored community locations-these are preferred for under-insured/uninsured individuals needing testing. Visit https://covid19.lacounty.gov/testing/ to search non-County operated test sites near you.

1. Maintain an updated “line list” on MS Excel with information that will be required by a commercial laboratory for testing your staff and residents.
   1. If your facility plans to use a staff member or resident’s health insurance plan to pay for testing, obtain the health insurance plan information required for the laboratory to bill for the test.
2. Establish a procedure for a physician to order COVID-19 diagnostic testing for each staff member or resident. There are several options:
1. Medical Director affiliated with the Facility: The Facility Medical Director can serve as the ordering MD for all persons to be tested.
2. Physician or physician’s group serving the Facility: Establish a relationship with a physician (or physician group) to provide on call services for your staff and residents; ensure the physician or group is willing to serve as the ordering provider for any laboratory testing needed.
3. Primary care provider for each resident and staff: Maintain updated information on each person’s personal physician and their contact number. Contact each person’s personal physician to ask if they will serve as the ordering provider for COVID-19 testing should their patient need testing.
4. Commercial laboratory’s Medical Director: Some labs provide physician services that includes a medical director to order testing as well as share test results.
3. Identify a commercial laboratory that meets your facility’s testing needs using any of these resources (1) Testing Guidelines; (2) the California Testing Task Force Lab List; or (3) seek a recommendation from another CCF already connected to a commercial laboratory. Consider making an arrangement with a second laboratory as a contingency plan in case the primary laboratory is unable to provide testing in a timely manner.
4. Establish administrative procedures to inform staff and residents about the plan for testing and return of results.
   1. The facility should establish policies for maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of results for staff and residents, including Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) training for the administrator who will have access to the test results, as well as procedures for securely storing protected health information.