Covid test at home Has become a must-have first aid kit. But stockpiling them isn’t cheap. If your supplies are dwindling, there’s good news: iHealth’s FDA-approved Covid-19 antigen rapid test is currently on sale on Amazon for $12 ($6 off). That’s the lowest price we’ve tracked for this kit, which comes with two tests. Precautions? The deal, which is only available on Amazon, expires at 2:59AM ET on July 7th (11:59PM PT on July 6th).
Speaking of which, Amazon’s Prime Day is just around the corner. If you’re looking to save on all kinds of gadgets and gadgets, we’ve rounded up other great early deals here.
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Get reimbursed if you have insurance
Despite the $6 discount per test, insurance companies (private and group health plans) must cover eight FDA-approved over-the-counter Covid-19 tests per month. If your insurance provider thinks an iHealth test ordered through Amazon is out of network, you can still get reimbursed for up to $12 per test, which is pretty much the full cost of each test before tax.
Why we love the iHealth Covid-19 Antigen Rapid Test
The iHealth Covid-19 test works like any standard at-home kit. It’s also one of the easier to use of the many tests we’ve tested in our quick at-home Covid-19 testing guide. In the box, you’ll get two nasal swabs, two bottles of solution, and two test kits. Taking the exam is easy. Swab both nostrils to collect the sample, soak it in the solution, add 3 drops to the kit, and wait 15 minutes for your results to appear on the card.
If the test is positive, two lines will appear on the cassette – one near the “C” (control) line and one near the “T” (test line). If the result is negative, a line appears next to “C”. Since each pack comes with two tests, if you test negative, you should test again within 24 to 48 hours, especially if you have recently been in contact with someone who has tested positive. Once the test is complete, you can upload the results to the iHealth companion app. If the test is negative, the app will grant you access to the iHealth Passport on your device to use as a digital proof.
If you buy Covid test kits in bulk, be sure to store them properly – out of direct sunlight and in a dry location between 35 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. You should also focus on expiration dates. iHealth recently extended the shelf life of its test kits to nine months; you can check each test kit’s new expiration date by lot number on iHealth’s website. It is also important to make sure that the included test kit is used within an hour of opening the foil bag.
notes: In May, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning about counterfeit iHealth Covid-19 antigen rapid test kits being sold in the United States without authorization. The pictures on the instruction manual that come with some counterfeit products are slightly different from the genuine product. Both iHealth and the FDA are currently looking for other identifiable signs. The link we share with Amazon here is provided to us by iHealth and is the FDA-approved version.
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