Milpitas, CA – June 12, 2020 – The City of Milpitas is the first in Santa Clara County to create a mobile testing site for COVID-19, allowing the City to increase testing of at-risk populations throughout the city limits. This innovative testing model, which utilizes a Milpitas Fire Department ambulance as the testing base, has been funded by the Milpitas City Council through August 7, extending the initial funding period that would end on June 30, 2020. The City has partnered with local company IGeneX, creating a public-private partnership to bring mobile COVID-19 testing to the community.
The mobile diagnostic testing program has so far focused on testing vulnerable populations at locations such as elderly care facilities, senior mobile home parks, and city facilities such as parks during its pilot program, starting May 27, 2020. This program complements a fixed testing site in Milpitas which is run by the Santa Clara County Department of Public Health, but is supported by City staff and housed in a City-owned facility. The expansion of mobile testing creates a convenient testing option for residents who are not able to visit a fixed test site, and for Milpitas residents who want to be tested.
Managers of care facilities, mobile home parks or essential businesses can contact the City to make appointments for their residents or employees. Individuals can also make their own appointment by calling the City’s dedicated phone line for COVID-19 resources at (408) 586-3434, or using the online appointment scheduler.
Fire Department paramedics administer the tests, while IGeneX provides the needed testing materials and processes the test results. IGeneX will directly bill Medicare or eligible insurance carriers (Medicare, Aetna, Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Cigna, Humana, and United Healthcare). For patients who do not have health insurance but have a valid Social Security Number, Permanent Resident Number, or State driver’s license, IGeneX will seek federal reimbursement under the Health Resources Services Administration COVID-19 Uninsured Persons Program. Individuals with insurance carriers not listed above may also be covered. However, individuals who have insurance coverage with Staff Model HMOs, such as Kaiser Permanente, will not be covered and should contact their healthcare provider directly to request testing. Individuals without valid ID or health insurance may still be eligible for testing through Santa Clara County.
Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 will be contacted by City staff within 24 hours. Those who have negative test results indicating no presence of COVID-19 will have their results mailed to them. The mobile testing site has tested more than 300 patients, and none of the patients so far have tested positive for COVID-19.
The cost to run the testing site from its launch on May 27 through August 7 is estimated to be $140,000, much of which may be reimbursed by FEMA.
The expansion of this mobile testing site to more residents and community members is a crucial step for the City of Milpitas on the path to a safe reopening.
