Interpreting your LabCorp test results can be confusing. Please note that, if your lab report informs you that your test results were “abnormal” and/or if your report states that the value is “detected,” then you have tested positive for the virus.

DC Pulmonary Medicine is a multi-specialty practice in Douglasville and Marietta offering internal medicine, family practice and pulmonary care. DC Pulmonary Medicine is affiliated with Douglas County Family Practice, a family-medicine practice established in Douglasville over thirty years ago.

In these unprecedented times, the physicians, providers and staff at DC Pulmonary Medicine believe that it is our obligation to give back to the community in a manner that is as unique as the circumstances in which we now find ourselves. The need is great for our community to have access to fast, free and reliable testing. Testing is an essential weapon in our fight against COVID-19. DC Pulmonary Medicine is pleased to partner with Douglas County to help our community meet the challenges brought by this worldwide pandemic.

Through its enactment of the CARES Act and associated HHS regulations, the federal government has agreed to cover the cost of COVID-19 diagnostics (the lab fee) and the associated professional services fees (provider evaluation, determination of medical necessity and test ordering).

By law, insurance companies cannot charge patients (including those with high-deductible plans) any co-pay, deductible, or other out-of-pocket expense for the COVID-19 test or the site visit. The CARES Act similarly covers the cost of the diagnostics and the visit for all uninsured patients as long as they certify that they are NOT covered by ANY insurance.

Yes. Studies show that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. Like adults, children may have some side effects after COVID-19 vaccination. These side effects may affect their ability to do daily activities, but they should go away in a few days. Children 12 years and older are now eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19. COVID-19 vaccines have been used under the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history, including studies in children 12 years and older. Your child cannot get COVID-19 from any COVID-19 vaccine.

Yes, if you are pregnant, you can receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

You might want to have a conversation with your healthcare provider to help you decide whether to get vaccinated. While such a conversation might be helpful, it is not required before vaccination. Learn more about vaccination considerations for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

If you are pregnant and have received a COVID-19 vaccine, we encourage you to enroll in v-safe, CDC’s smartphone-based tool that provides personalized health check-ins after vaccination. A v-safe pregnancy registry has been established to gather information on the health of pregnant people who have received a COVID-19 vaccine.

No. People with COVID-19 who have symptoms should wait to be vaccinated until they have recovered from their illness and have met the criteria for discontinuing isolation; those without symptoms should also wait until they meet the criteria before getting vaccinated. This guidance also applies to people who get COVID-19 before getting their second dose of vaccine.

The federal government is providing the vaccine free of charge to all people living in the United States, regardless of their immigration or health insurance status.

COVID-19 vaccination providers cannot:

• Charge you for the vaccine
• Charge you directly for any administration fees, copays, or coinsurance
• Deny vaccination to anyone who does not have health insurance coverage, is underinsured, or is out of network
• Charge an office visit or other fee to the recipient if the only service provided is a COVID-19 vaccination
• Require additional services in order for a person to receive a COVID-19 vaccine; however, additional healthcare services can be provided at the same time and billed as appropriate

COVID-19 vaccination providers can:

• Seek appropriate reimbursement from the recipient’s plan or program (e.g., private health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid) for a vaccine administration fee. However, providers cannot charge the vaccine recipient the balance of the bill
• Seek reimbursement for uninsured vaccine recipients from the Health Resources and Services Administration’s COVID-19 Uninsured Program