Circle Medical to Offer Labcorp’s At Home COVID-19 Self-Collection Test and Announces Clinical Expansion to Austin and San Diego Markets

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Circle Medical, a digital-first primary care practice, will be offering a convenient at home COVID-19 self-collection test kit in partnership with Labcorp (NYSE: LH). Together with Circle Medical’s primary care telemedicine service, Circle Medical’s patients will now have access to an end-to-end COVID-19 testing solution that is covered by most insurance plans. This home based COVID-19 self-collection kit is now available to patients in California, New York, Texas, Washington, Florida and Washington, D.C., and will become available in additional states in the coming weeks.

“Easy access to COVID-19 testing remains key to controlling the pandemic,” said Dr. Tom Ronay, Medical Director of Circle Medical. “We are pleased to be offering Labcorp’s home COVID-19 self-collection kit to our Circle Medical patients, bringing high-quality testing directly to our patients’ homes, where they can test safely and comfortably.”

How to order an At Home COVID-19 Self-Collection Kit

Patients are assessed via Circle Medical’s telemedicine app by a primary care provider who determines whether a COVID-19 test is recommended. The primary care provider then orders a Labcorp self-collection kit, which is sent to the patient’s home — along with a prepaid return label and box — via FedEx overnight. Once a sample is collected, the patient drops the box off at any FedEx location or schedules a free pickup. Test results are typically available one to two days after the sample has been picked up and can be accessed electronically in the Circle Medical and Labcorp Patient mobile apps.

With most insurance plans, including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Health Net, Humana, Medicare and UnitedHealthcare, patients pay only their regular copay for each virtual visit. There are no membership or other fees, and many insurance companies are currently waiving copays for telemedicine. Patients interested in using telemedicine to order the Labcorp self-collection kit should check with their insurance provider for more detail about costs and potential co-pays.

Labcorp’s COVID-19 PCR test has not been FDA cleared or approved and has been authorized by the FDA under an emergency use authorization only for the detection of nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2, not for any other viruses or pathogens. The test is only authorized for the duration of the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of emergency use of in vitro diagnostic tests for detection and/or diagnosis of COVID-19 under Section 564(b)(1) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. § 360bbb-3(b)(1), unless the authorization is terminated or revoked sooner.

Expansion to Austin, TX and San Diego, CA

Also, today Circle Medical is pleased to announce an expansion to its network of physical primary care locations to include Austin, TX and San Diego, CA. Circle Medical’s Austin clinic will be a wholly-owned clinic that is expected to begin operations in Q2-2021. The city of Austin is a rapidly growing market where Circle Medical has already witnessed significant traction with its telemedicine services. These telemedicine patients have had a positive experience with Circle Medical and expressed their preference to stay with Circle Medical for in-person visits as well.

In San Diego, patients can now use the Circle Medical app to book appointments at Kind Health Group, a provider of primary care, injectables, skin care and health coaching services. As part of a new pilot partner program, Circle Medical is allowing vetted primary care practices access to its technology platform to deliver a high-quality experience while streamlining their administrative overhead. This partner program allows Circle Medical to cost effectively expand its footprint to additional physical locations without having to open and operate its own brick and mortar clinics.

“The Circle Medical platform makes it easy for patients to book appointments and track their medical records,” said Dr. Georgine Nanos, founder of Kind Health Group. “The platform also handles documentation, billing and other administrative tasks, freeing my clinical team so they can continue to provide a high level of care.”

About Circle Medical Technologies Inc.

Circle Medical is a rapidly growing digital-first primary care practice that builds technology to make quality, delightful primary care accessible at scale. Circle Medical is affiliated with UCSF and provides care in brick-and-mortar locations in San Francisco, San Diego and soon to be in Austin, Texas, in addition to operating a nationwide telemedicine service. The practice is in network with all PPO and most HMO insurance plans without charging membership or additional fees. Circle Medical is majority-owned by WELL Health Technologies Corp. (TSX: WELL). New patients can book online at circlemedical.com.

About Labcorp

Labcorp is a leading global life sciences company that provides vital information to help doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, researchers, and patients make clear and confident decisions. Through Labcorp’s unparalleled diagnostics and drug development capabilities, it provides insights and accelerates innovations to improve health and improve lives. With more than 70,000 employees, Labcorp serves clients in more than 100 countries. Labcorp (NYSE: LH) reported revenue of $14 billion in FY2020. Learn more about Labcorp at www.Labcorp.com .

For Further Information
George Favvas
CEO, Circle Medical Technologies
george@circlemedical.com
415-505-2188