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Makers of COVID-19 testing tools are raking in billions while many consumers pay through the nose to find out if they are infected. ... Abbott Laboratories‚ maker of the BinaxNow test, one of the most popular at-home screening devices — notched $1.9 billion in third-quarter sales related to COVID-19 testing, up 48% compared to the year-ago period. The BinaxNow test alone was responsible for $1.6 billion in sales. (Cerullo, 1/12)

Workers at corporate giants such as Google and JPMorgan Chase can request tests be sent to them free. At Google, employees can receive as many as 20 tests per month, even if they’re not going into the office. Delta Air Lines allows its flight staff and corporate employees to order sets of six antigen tests every three weeks. (De Vynck and Bogage, 1/13)

The latest Covid-19 wave has left millions of Americans scrambling for tests, braving long lines in the cold at pop-up sites or searching furiously online for kits to use at home. But for a select group of employees at some of the country’s largest companies, tests are free and often readily available. (Goldberg, Hirsch and McCabe, 1/12)

Tarrant County District Attorney Sharen Wilson said in a statement Wednesday that fake testing sites have popped up across the country, with scammers asking for Social Security and credit card numbers, birth dates and health insurance information. “Be careful,” Wilson said in a news release. “Research the facilities before you go, and make sure it’s a valid testing site.” The Better Business Bureau also issued a warning, urging test seekers to use caution at pop-up sites and when purchasing at-home tests. (Bahari, 1/12)

The company, the Center for COVID Control, is based in Illinois and claims to operate hundreds of testing sites across the country, including at least five in southwest Ohio. The other local sites on the company's website are in Finneytown, Anderson Township, West Chester Township and East Price Hill. A spokesman for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services told The Enquirer on Wednesday that the government agency has "received multiple complaints from different state agencies regarding the Center for COVID Control and temporary testing sites." He did not describe the nature of those complaints, but he said all would be investigated. (Horn, 1/12)

As the pandemic drags on and frequent testing is normalized, home tests are becoming essential because of their convenience and immediacy, say local health officials. “I do see us moving towards this,” said Sonoma County Health Officer Dr. Sundari Mase, though she emphasized lab-based tests are better in clinical settings. Home testing can help people decide whether to get on a plane, go to school or visit an aging relative, for instance, but a lab-based test is better for someone who’s been admitted to a hospital with COVID symptoms and whose doctor is trying to diagnose and treat the illness. (Ho, 1/12)

Will I automatically be reimbursed the full amount? It depends. Under the guidelines, the Biden administration encourages private insurers to make tests available to members for free at the point of purchase by creating networks of preferred retailers, including pharmacies. Insurers would then reimburse the retailer, rather than the consumer, for the cost of the test. (Cerullo, 1/12)

The United States is far from the only country battling yet another coronavirus wave coupled with a shortage of antigen and PCR tests. Here’s how some other countries are handling the surge in demand for testing. (Berger, 1/12)