COVID-19 Testing: Options at ANMC

ANMC Walk-up and Drive-thru testing sites are now closed. Per CDC guidelines, people who are not experiencing COVID-19 symptoms do not need to be tested.

COVID-19 testing options for ANMC patients:  

  • At-home test kits: COVID-19 home test kits are available for pick up at the Anchorage Native Primary Care Center (4320 Diplomacy Drive) and the Healthy Communities Building (3900 Ambassador Drive).

Eligible ANMC patients and their household members COVID-19 testing needs options:

At-home rapid antigen test kits [click here for more information]

Best for:

  • Fast results in 15 minutes
  • Testing if your symptoms are mild to none

Special considerations:

  • At-home tests may not be eligible for travel or pre-procedure testing requirements

At-home rapid COVID-19 antigen testing

No registration, appointments or further steps are necessary! You can proceed directly to the locations listed below to pick up a free, at-home rapid COVID-19 Antigen Home Test Kit. Test kits come with instructions and results are available in 15-30 minutes.

Pick-up locations and hours

  • Healthy Communities Building (3900 Ambassador Drive) lobby
  • ANMC Anchorage Native Primary Care Center (all clinic locations)
    • Monday-Friday: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Eligible for test kit pick-up

  • All Alaska Native and American Indian people eligible to receive care at the Alaska Native Medical Center and their household members
    • 1 kit per person in a household
  • No registration required!

Patients with special considerations

  • High-risk patients: If you test positive for COVID-19, and are an Elder or high-risk for complications, contact your provider to discuss treatment options. The sooner treatment is started, the more effective it will be.
  • Travel or pre-procedure testing: If you need COVID-19 test results for travel, prior to a procedure or other validated reason, find out if you will need a PCR lab-verified test instead of an at-home rapid test.

Resources and information

Additional testing information

  • Testing for travel requirements: If you are taking a COVID-19 test prior to travel, confirm with your air carrier and destination what type of test will be needed. At-home tests may not meet requirements and a PCR test from the clinic in which you are being seen may be needed. ANMC Laboratory only reports results to Tribal health partners.
  • Testing prior to a medical procedure: no longer required
  • Testing before traveling to Anchorage and ANMC: In order to minimize rescheduling or canceling surgical procedures due to COVID-19 diagnosis, ANMC is strongly encouraging all patients, regardless of their vaccination status, to get tested prior to traveling to Anchorage if testing is available in your area. When pre-travel testing is not available, ANMC will conduct a test upon arrival in Anchorage, if the patient’s arrival is 12 hours or more before the procedure and during testing site hours. This helps ensure a patient’s procedure does not have to be rescheduled or require quarantine in Anchorage until the infection period has passed.

About your results

While waiting for test results, seek emergency care right away if you develop emergency warning signs, which include: persistent chest pain or pressure; extreme difficulty breathing; severe, constant dizziness or lightheadedness; slurred speech; and difficulty waking up.

If you test positive for COVID-19:

  • PCR test (performed at clinic): Lab reports that indicate a positive result are either reported as Positive or Detected (Abnormal). Please isolate immediately and you will be contacted by a health care provider.
  • At-home rapid test: Isolate yourself from others to avoid spreading the infection to others. The CDC recommends isolating for at least 5 days, but may be up to 10 days. Wear a tight fitting mask on days 6-10, as you may still be contagious. Notify anyone you were in close contact with that you tested positive. Monitor your symptoms and contact your health care provider if you have questions or concerns.

If you test negative for COVID-19:

  • PCR test (performed at clinic): Reports that indicate a negative result are either reported as Negative or Not detected.
  • At-home rapid test: Take the second test between 24-36 hours after the 1st test was done to help confirm results.
  • All tests:
    • You probably were not infected at the time your sample was collected. However, that does not mean you will not get sick.
    • It is possible that you were very early in your infection when your sample was collected and that you could test positive later.

If your test results are indeterminate (lab PCR test only):

  • An indeterminate result means it’s not possible to say if you had coronavirus when the test was done.
  • Return to the collection site for retesting.

COVID-19 Testing Pricing Information

COVID Diagnostic Test – $198
Sometimes referred to as a PCR test, this test requires a deep swab to the back of your nose to determine if you have an active coronavirus infection. 
CPT Code: U0003 or 87635

COVID Antibody Test – $93
This is a simple blood test that detects specific proteins on the surface of the COVID virus, and usually determines if an individual has had a previous COVID infection. You will need your provider to order the test; UR Medicine’s guidelines call for only testing patients who:

  • Are being diagnosed or treated for Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome of Children (MIS-C)
  • Have fully recovered from COVID-19 and would like to donate convalescent plasma
  • Previously had symptoms of COVID-19 but did not receive a test to learn if they were infected

We recommend that you wait at least 30 days past a COVID illness to ensure your body has built up enough antigens for the test to detect them.
CPT Code: 86769