Skip to main content

HHSC Reminds LTC Providers Free BinaxNOW COVID-19 POC Tests are for Essential Caregivers and Not Staff

Last updated on

HHSC Long-term Care Regulation has received reports that some providers are requesting the COVID-19 BinaxNOW Ag test cards through the attestation form for free BinaxNOW point-of-care antigen COVID-19 test kits for testing staff instead of essential caregivers.

Texas has a limited number of BinaxNOW POC antigen COVID-19 test kits to distribute to providers. The initiative provides supplemental test kits so providers do not have to use testing resources intended for staff and to assist when community resources are not available. These kits must be used to test essential caregivers, not staff, for COVID-19.

The term essential caregiver means a family member or other outside caregiver, including a friend, volunteer, private personal caregiver or court appointed guardian, who is at least 18 years of age and has been properly designated to provide regular care and support to the client or resident. The definition of essential caregiver does not include other persons providing critical assistance to the resident, such as contract doctors or clinical professionals.

Using the test kits on staff is a contradiction to the signed and submitted attestation form used to obtain the test kits (Provider Letter 20-49).

Note that the Free BinaxNOW COVID-19 POC Tests for Essential Caregivers initiative is new and unrelated to the antigen machines or the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services distributions of BinaxNOW COVID-19 test kits. See PL 20-49 for details.