DoorDash to deliver at home COVID-19 tests that offer quick turnaround
Delivery platform DoorDash (DASH) is joining the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, announcing plans to team up with two health providers to offer same-day delivery of COVID-19 test kits with quick turnaround times.
Alongside partners Vault Health and EverlyWell, the service aims to "make health and wellness essentials more accessible for customers," DoorDash said in a statement.
The move comes as the country's mass vaccination efforts gather steam, but the gradual relaxation of restrictions has stoked concerns about the potential for rising infections.
"COVID-19 testing will continue to play a critical role as businesses and schools begin to re-open across the US." a spokesperson told Yahoo Finance.
The representative added that the partnership offers "even more convenience to customers as they eliminate the need to make a trip to a testing facility, or wait in long lines at the pharmacy or grocery store....expediting the testing process and offering a reliable experience from the comfort of home."
The new offering will allow customers to access two FDA-approved COVID-19 test collection kits on-demand from DoorDash's DashMart locations across the nation, the spokesperson said. The Vault Health COVID-19 Saliva Test Kit, which retails for $119 and offers a 24-hour turn around, includes a prepaid overnight shipping envelope to be delivered to Vault's partner laboratories in New Jersey and Minnesota.
Everlywell COVID-19 test kits cost $109 and use a nasal swab. It includes a prepaid shipping label for customers to ship overnight to a certified lab. Results are also available within 24 hours.
The rapid at-home test kit, and DoorDash's involvement, represent "a significant step forward for public health," according to Dr. Marisa Cruz, Head of Clinical Affairs at Everlywell, who is also a former FDA advisor.
The ability to "get a kit delivered to your door in hours, quickly collect a sample and drop your kit in the mail, and then receive an accurate COVID-19 diagnosis and speak to a physician about next steps in as little as 24 hours later," Cruz said.
However, it's not entirely clear whether at-home testing is fully covered by insurance. The kits "may be reimbursable through insurance," according to Everlywell's which is "not a healthcare provider nor a laboratory and therefore cannot bill your health insurance directly."
Meanwhile, Vault notes that it is considered "an out-of-network with all health insurance plans and providers and cannot submit a claim for you."
Each purchase does come with an itemized receipt that consumers can submit to their insurer.
DoorDash has been making a concerted push to infiltrate health care. Last year, the company announced that over-the-counter health and wellness products from Walgreens (WBA) were now available on its app. And in October, the company announced it teamed with Sam’s Club Pharmacy (WMT) to power same-day prescription delivery.
On Monday, DoorDash closed at $135.91 per a share. Meanwhile, shares are down nearly 23% from its debut on the New York Stock Exchange back in December.
Brooke DiPalma is a producer and reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter at @BrookeDiPalma or email her at bdipalma@yahoofinance.com.
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