Pennsylvania - New Travel Guidelines/Requirements

[brockash]

We are going to decide this weekend whether to pull the plug on our trip next Friday.

In addition to the state’s recommendation, might want to check your county’s website for further restrictions that have been put into place.

Here’s mine from yesterday. The director of health department is threatening further actions if numbers don’t drop soon.

https://www.alleghenycounty.us/uplo...t-Home to Stop Social Gatherings Advisory.pdf

Me either

What’s to say you aren’t exposed after the test when out of the state & bring that ‘souvenir’ back home? They should require a 2nd rapid test once in the state


Good catch Didn’t see that will go back & read

Interesting

Yes, I don't understand the point of testing before you go back... after the test are you in some magic bubble for the flight home? So odd.

 

[rwdavis2]

I'm confused. Is the expectation that you receive your COVID test while in Disney (or wherever) 72 hours before you return to PA?

Just to reiterate, PA has announced they have no intention of enforcing this. No stops in airports nor roadblocks on the highway. We are visiting our daughter in PA and won’t be doing any of this. We have been extremely, careful, wear masks, distance, as has our daughter. We’re just using common sense.

 

[nkereina]

The WellNow offices here in the Syracuse area will cover the cost of the test when its travel related, So. there are places that cover for free.

We have WellNow in Buffalo too. They are a private facility, not state run, and don't cover the cost of any testing. They list the costs of testing right on their web site for self-pay patients, and state on their web site that they bill insurance. So, it would be up to a person's insurance as to whether testing is covered for travel. My insurance (Blue Cross Blue Shield) only covers the cost of testing if a person is symptomatic or has a doctor referral. If I go to a private facility like WellNow (or any other non-state run facility), and my insurance does not cover it because I have no symptoms or doctor referral, I would also be responsible for the cost of the doctor/urgent care visit in addition to the test. All that I said, its possible that if a person calls their primary doctor and says they've been traveling and need a test, then they likely could get a doctor referral. And again, coverage will vary by insurance carrier.

 

[Sandisw]

We have WellNow in Buffalo too. They are a private facility, not state run, and don't cover the cost of any testing. They list the costs of testing right on their web site for self-pay patients, and state on their web site that they bill insurance. So, it would be up to a person's insurance as to whether testing is covered for travel. My insurance (Blue Cross Blue Shield) only covers the cost of testing if a person is symptomatic or has a doctor referral. If I go to a private facility like WellNow (or any other non-state run facility), and my insurance does not cover it because I have no symptoms or doctor referral, I would also be responsible for the cost of the doctor/urgent care visit in addition to the test. All that I said, its possible that if a person calls their primary doctor and says they've been traveling and need a test, then they likely could get a doctor referral. And again, coverage will vary by insurance carrier.

Well, from my experience and from my discussions with the people here, the costs were covered for travel.

Now, I do have Blue Cross insurance so that could be why. My nieces is a PA at one in Utica and her office confirmed.

But, it may not apply to those without insurance but i and others I know have indeed gone and had it covered without symptoms, no referral and due to travel. YMMV

 

[lovin'fl]

Sure thing!

Let me preface by saying of course no test is 100% accurate - at home tests are statistically less accurate than in person up the nose brain swabs - I'm not a doctor - I do not work in the medical field - I'm just a plain old Joe Shmoe trying to comply with state requirements while maintaining a semblance of a vacation.

Pixel by Labcorp (i said Quest earlier sorry about that). They make several at home tests for different things - one of them now is Covid 19.

Your insurance will cover this 100% - they bill the insurance company so you do not have any up front costs or the need to submit a reimbursement later (which many at home test kits will require as they do not work with insurance companies but qualify for FSA/HSA as well as reimbursements).
If you do not have insurance I think it's $99? but please do not quote me on that.

Go to the website, select the test, plug in your information (do you currently have symptoms of Covid? If so are they mild etc or do you have NO covid symptoms?) then you select your reason for testing - Requirement was what I picked (due to the state order) but there is also Exposure to Covid Positve person, etc etc. as options.

Then plug in your insurance card information.

Address info.

Order and done.

I had to do two separate orders - one for me and one for my husband.

Please note - you must be 18 or over to get this test. There ARE other tests out there for younger kids - but not this one. Our son is five, he's quarantining when we get home and frankly so are we regardless of this test. It is a non issue for us. But informational for anyone reading this.

Then that's it! I ordered them yesterday, they were delivered this morning by FedEx. We'll take them while we are on vacation - then have them put in the mail and wait for the results. It's a good alternative if possible, to physically going to the site.

Pixel Labcorp site said it could not provide me a test at this time. I plugged in 'no symptoms' and 'not exposed' and that's what I got. Didn't ask why we needed test (PA requirement).

 

[nkereina]

Well, from my experience and from my discussions with the people here, the costs were covered for travel.

Now, I do have Blue Cross insurance so that could be why. My nieces is a PA at one in Utica and her office confirmed.

But, it may not apply to those without insurance but i and others I know have indeed gone and had it covered without symptoms, no referral and due to travel. YMMV

If you haven't gotten a bill yet, then its likely that your insurance plan covered the cost of it because the facility wouldn't (save for state run sites). It definitely would behoove someone to check with their insurance regarding testing coverage before going for a test so they aren't stuck with a surprise bill several weeks later.

 

[Sandisw]

If you haven't gotten a bill yet, then its likely that your insurance plan covered the cost of it because the facility wouldn't (save for state run sites). It definitely would behoove someone to check with their insurance regarding testing coverage before going for a test so they aren't stuck with a surprise bill several weeks later.

You are right. I should have clarified the bit about insurance because those are the ones that have been covered.

Just letting people know that many of us have gotten it covered via this place with lots of different insurance plans for the reason of travel.

 

[Kim&Chris]

Just to reiterate, PA has announced they have no intention of enforcing this. No stops in airports nor roadblocks on the highway. We are visiting our daughter in PA and won’t be doing any of this. We have been extremely, careful, wear masks, distance, as has our daughter. We’re just using common sense.

Thank you for your reply!!!!

 

[DebbieB]

My friend and I flew home from FL to PA Sunday night. We decided to just do the 14 day quarantine like we had planned. We both work from home so it’s not a big deal. We could have gone to Maingate last weekend but then we would also have to find a testing place near home next Friday. So we would have a week in already by the time we got the results. No paperwork on the plane.