SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California is still offering free COVID-19 testing to uninsured residents even though the federal government ran out of money to pay for it.
While Congress debates whether to put more money into free testing, California is leaning on programs it already had in place: special state-based coverage for uninsured Californians, school testing, and free tests offered by clinics, counties, and other groups. Absent free options, people without health insurance could pay as much as several hundred dollars out-of-pocket depending on where they get tested.
At the same time, demand for community testing — from residents with and without insurance — has dropped precipitously.
