As part of the Biden Administration’s “Path Out of the Pandemic” COVID-19 Action Plan, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in partnership with the Department of Defense is making available to all HRSA-supported health centers (including look-alikes), as well as Medicare-certified rural health clinics, free COVID-19 testing supplies, authorized by the FDA for emergency use. The HRSA COVID-19 Testing Supply Program will make available for order: (1) at-home self-tests, and (2) a limited quantity of point-of-care, rapid antigen testing analyzers and test strips for clinical settings. The point-of-care tests available to health centers will be for COVID-19 or for COVID + Flu A/B. Distribution of the at-home self-tests and point-of-care tests at no cost to health center patients and community members supports and expands community-based COVID-19 mitigation efforts.
As of February 16, 2022, the HRSA COVID-19 Testing Supply Program includes Quidel QuickVue® At-Home OTC COVID-19 Tests 
and BD Veritor™ Plus Analyzer and test strips .
For additional information on available COVID-19 screening and testing near you, visit Find a Health Center. Please call the health center nearest you for more information about the availability of low or no-cost COVID-19 testing and vaccinations.
Read the ACL-HRSA Statement on COVID-19 support for older adults and individuals with disabilities.
Read the HUD Statement on Expanding Access to COVID-19 Testing Supplies – HUD Exchange.
– Please select HRSA Health Center COVID-19 Testing Supply Program from the COVID-19 menu.Consistent with the Biden Administration’s “Path Out of the Pandemic,” HHS is providing free, at-home self-tests and a limited quantity of point-of-care testing supplies to health centers and Medicare-certified rural health clinics, for distribution or use at the point-of-care at no cost to patients and community members. The program is intended to ensure COVID-19 tests are made available to populations and settings in need of testing, especially populations at greatest risk from adverse outcomes related to COVID-19. As of December 21, 2021, all HRSA-supported health centers (including look-alikes) and Medicare-certified rural health clinics are eligible to participate in the at-home self-testing supply program after completing the onboarding process. On February 16, 2022, HRSA added point-of-care testing supplies to the program. Health centers and rural health clinics already onboarded to order at-home self-tests do not need to take additional onboarding steps to order point-of-care supplies.
(Updated: 2/23/2022)
Health centers provide primary care services to nearly 29 million people each year throughout the country, including in geographically isolated and medically underserved communities. Two-thirds of the population served by health centers are living in poverty, 62% are racial and/or ethnic minorities, and nearly 1.3 million are unhoused. Additionally, approximately 4,800 Medicare-certified rural health clinics ensure primary care access and improve health outcomes for the estimated 62 million Americans who live in rural communities.
All health centers and Medicare-certified rural health clinics are eligible to receive and distribute at-home self-tests to their communities, and to conduct point-of-care tests in the primary care setting. This is to support greater COVID-19 mitigation efforts and to ensure that those most at risk for COVID-19 have access to at-home self-testing and point-of-care testing supplies.
(Updated: 2/23/2022)
At-home self-tests for COVID-19 are those that a patient can perform at home or in another location without the assistance of a health care provider. These types of tests offer fast results and may be more convenient than laboratory-based or point-of-care tests in certain situations. The CDC provides more information on self-testing.
Point-of-care tests for COVID-19 and the flu allow for rapid testing at the provider’s location. Patients can receive timely digital results so they can get on-the-spot treatment, including oral antivirals, if appropriate. The CDC has additional information regarding testing options.
(Updated: 2/23/2022)
No. This is a voluntary program. Only health centers and Medicare-certified rural health clinics that choose to register with HRSA and place orders through the online ordering system will receive the COVID-19 at-home self-tests, point-of-care analyzers and test strips or any additional testing supplies that may become available.
(Updated: 2/23/2022)
Each health center and Medicare-certified rural health clinic determines which of its service delivery sites receive testing supplies based on patient and community need and storage capacity. Health centers may revise the delivery sites as needed.
(Updated: 2/23/2022)
It is important for health centers to report the number of at-home self-test kits distributed and who receives them (e.g., health center patients, community members). They should also report the number of patients that received COVID-19 tests (including point of care tests) in the biweekly HRSA Health Center COVID-19 Survey.
Health centers began reporting information for at-home self-tests in the December 30, 2021 survey. For the point-of-care tests, health centers should report tests conducted in the past two weeks. For a full list of questions in the biweekly survey, please see the COVID-19 Data Collection Tool User Guide.
It also important for health centers to report their stock on hand in the Health Partner Order Portal (HPoP).
(Updated: 2/23/2022)
Participating health centers must answer the biweekly HRSA Health Center COVID-19 Survey questions. Health centers should also follow local guidelines for public health reporting and address positive patients as per clinical protocols. HRSA recommends including any positives that you become aware of in your testing totals for the HRSA biweekly survey.
(Updated: 2/23/2022)
For Systems Access Issues, including assistance with navigating the Health Partner Order Portal (HPoP):
COVID-19 Administration Reporting System (CARS) Help Desk
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-833-748-1979
8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. ET, Monday-Friday
For Product Questions on the at-home self-tests, including delivery issues and product damage:
Quidel Customer Service
Phone: 1-800-874-1517 (Option 1, then Option 1)
7:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. PT, Monday-Friday
For Product Questions on the Point-of-Care Tests, including delivery issues and product damage:
BD Veritor Customer Support
Product questions and training email: [email protected] or 1-844-823-5433
Delivery issues email: [email protected]
For Policy/Program Questions:
Health Center Program Support
Select: HRSA Health Center COVID-19 Testing Supply Program from the COVID-19 menu
Phone: 1-877-464-4772
8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. ET, Monday-Friday (except federal holidays)
(Updated: 2/23/2022)
Currently, health centers and Medicare-certified rural health clinics may order the Quidel QuickVue® At-Home OTC COVID-19 Tests through this program. These are rapid antigen tests that an individual can self-administer anywhere, with results available within 10 minutes. These tests are for individuals who are symptomatic, asymptomatic, or within 6 days of symptom onset. The tests can be self-administered and are recommended for use by individuals 14 years of age and older. An adult may perform the test for children 2-13 years of age.
(Updated: 2/23/2022)
Health centers and Medicare-certified rural health clinics have the option to order at-home self-tests in quantities of individual shippers (45 test kits per shipper). Quantities greater than 30 shippers will be packaged and shipped as a pallet.
Health centers and Medicare-certified rural health clinics should consider the amount necessary to meet ongoing community needs. Please also consider the capacity to receive and store the tests when placing orders. The amounts of supplies available for ordering may vary across ordering cycles. Please refer to the Health Center COVID-19 Online Community or the ordering portal for participants, called the Health Partner Order Portal (HPoP), for updates on ordering information.
(Updated: 2/23/2022)
Yes, health centers and Medicare-certified rural health clinics should store tests at room temperature (15-25°C/59-77°F), in a place away from direct sunlight.
(Added: 12/15/2021)
The program is intended to ensure COVID-19 at-home self-tests are made available to health center and Medicare-certified rural health clinic patients and community populations and settings in need of testing, especially populations at greatest risk from adverse outcomes related to COVID-19. Individuals from the community who request at-home self-tests should receive them, with consideration of their individual and family risk for COVID-19 and related need. This may include health center staff, if needed. Local employers should review OSHA’s COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) for guidance regarding their legal obligation for employee testing.
(Added: 1/7/2022)
Health centers and Medicare-certified rural health clinics are encouraged to disseminate test kits to their communities to provide access for populations and settings in need of testing, especially populations at greatest risk from adverse outcomes related to COVID-19. Examples include but are not limited to:
(Updated: 2/23/2022)
Health centers and Medicare-certified rural health clinics should use their best discretion in distributing at-home self-tests to the local community and follow their established protocols. Each kit includes two self-tests. An individual may request test kits for all members of their immediate household. The family members do not have to be present to receive the test kits.
(Added: 1/7/2022)
As health centers distribute the at-home self-tests, they should provide information about how and when to use the tests and what to do if a test is positive, including how the individual may contact the health center or rural health clinic for assistance. Individuals may use the self-test immediately or when appropriate at a future time (please note that tests expire after one year). For information regarding self-testing, please refer to the CDC Self-Test webpage.
(Added: 1/7/2022)
Currently, BD Veritor™ Plus Analyzer, COVID-19-only test strips , and COVID-19+Flu A/B test strips are available through this program. These rapid antigen tests provide results within 15 minutes. Health centers can administer these tests at any Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified or CLIA-waived site. Providers can use these tests if a person is symptomatic, asymptomatic, or within 6 days of symptom onset. A health center can administer these rapid antigen tests using the BD Veritor Plus Analyzer and test strips. The analyzer device reads the strip and produces a digital test result.
The amount of supplies available for ordering may vary across ordering cycles, so please stay tuned for ordering information in the Health Center COVID-19 Online Community or in the ordering portal for participants, called the Health Partner Order Portal (HPoP). Health centers and Medicare-certified rural health clinics are encouraged to consider the amount necessary to meet ongoing community needs and their capacity to receive and store the tests when placing their orders.
(Added: 2/23/2022)
The POC testing supplies became available in the ordering system on February 16, 2022. The Health Center COVID-19 Online Community and the Health Partner Order Portal (HPoP) has additional details on ordering.
(Added: 2/23/2022)
Health centers and Medicare-certified rural health clinics can learn more about COVID-19 only rapid antigen testing and the multiplex (COVID-19 and Flu A+B) testing on the manufacturer’s website . For instructions on how to use the system, please visit:
(PDF – 3.6 MB) (PDF – 1.2 MB)BD Veritor also provides instructional videos, guidelines, and protocols for users. Program participants may also access these materials through the Health Center COVID-19 Online Community. For more information, please visit the CDC Guidance for SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Testing Performed in Point-of-Care Settings.
(Added: 2/23/2022)
Yes. Health centers and Medicare-certified rural health clinics should store reagents, specimens, and devices at room temperature (15-30° Celsius) for testing.
(Added: 2/23/2022)
Yes. Each test strip has an expiration date printed on the outside carton. Do not use the kit beyond the expiration date printed on the outside carton. The BD Veritor Plus Analyzer can record the Kit Lot Number and expiration date in the test record but does not restrict the use of expired or inappropriate reagents. Visit the BD Veritor website for additional information on expiration dates. Management of expired materials is the responsibility of the health center or rural health clinic.
(Added: 2/23/2022)
The program is intended to ensure COVID-19 tests are made available to health centers and Medicare-certified rural health clinic patients and community populations in need of testing, especially populations at greatest risk from adverse outcomes related to COVID-19.
To test using the BD Veritor Plus Analyzer, the facility must be Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified or CLIA-waived. Staff using analyzers do not require specific licensure or certification. The BD Veritor website provides additional information on product requirements and test documentation options. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services website has additional information on CLIA.
