iHealth Verified COVID Test Service for Travel Review
This is a guest post from Lea Tamarack on using the iHealth verified covid test service for travel. Her review will go over the cost, the procedure and her overall thoughts on the program. Some may already have these tests at home since some received them as the free tests from the USPS a month or two ago. If you haven’t ordered your second round of 4 tests you can do that here. There is no guarantee you get the iHealth covid test though. They are sold at most pharmacies and on Amazon as well ($17.08 for 2). You should be able to submit receipts for purchasing these to your health insurance provider and be reimbursed too.
Update: Reader Justmeha posted about another good option in the comments. It is called Azova. It looks like they run a similar system where you buy the test and then set up an appointment.
Lea’s iHealth Covid Test For International Travel Review
My husband and I had an international trip to Amsterdam, The Netherlands upcomming and I was planning on purchasing the Abbott BinaxNow Telehealth self-COVID test that I had heard about from several travelers. The Delta app also sent me a link to purchase the $69.99 telehealth + 2 tests kit. Not inexpensive, but worth the peace of mind of not having to find a 24-hour turnaround testing facility in Amsterdam on a Sunday!
While searching for the test online, I ran across an ad for iHealth telehealth session for $24.99. Intrigued, I clicked into the site and found that you could use an iHealth test you already had (I had quite a few, as these were the free ones sent from the government) and only pay $24.99 for the telehealth session.
Even better, I could check out available appointments-in the time zone where I would be taking the test- and make the purchase after ensuring there was availability. I had heard that the Abbott test could take quite a while to get a proctor on the line, so was excited about having a confirmed time.
To Buy Or Not To Buy?
Ready to buy, I still hesitated, as I couldn’t find any other information about this service online. Everything redirected to the Abbott test, no personal reviews came up of any kind. Finally, I was out of time and had to make a decision. A decision that was delayed by me because I wanted to see if the US Government changed the rules about US citizens having a negative COVID test to re-enter the US.
When that never happened I decided to open up one of the iHealth test kits and try it out and make sure I was negative prior to leaving. The kit came with a set of printed directions, as well as a QR code to download an app with instructional videos.
I downloaded the app, and the first thing I noticed was a banner running across the top, stating “Telehealth sessions now available!” Okay, that convinced me that the ad I had seen before was not a scam! I went ahead and bought 2 Telehealth sessions and set up the appointments and quickly received email confirmations. I packed the iHealth tests, and we were off to Amsterdam.
iHealth International Covid Test Experience
On the day of the appointment, I logged into the laptop we brought to get everything started. Unfortunately, the service only works on a laptop or desktop, no mobile devices. Once everything was set up I clicked on the link to join my session. Several directions appeared, including verifying that I had an ID, the iHealth test kit, and that the computer functions worked. After this, I was put into a queue, which stated that 8 people were ahead of me. So much for the appointment, I thought.
However, within 3 minutes the queue was over and a proctor came on the line. She walked me through taking the test, then had me place the test strip in front of the camera, set a 15-minute timer, and left, stating that the session was being recorded. After 15 minutes, a button came up for me to click, we took me back to a different proctor. This one reverified my ID and checked my test result. Amazing enough, before I could even close down the window the test result was in my email.
I was able to save it to my Delta FlyReady and received confirmation that all was good. Success!
iHealth Verified COVID Test Service for Travel Review: Final Thoughts
I would definitely use the iHealth telehealth service again. I already have the test kits, and the telehealth portion was affordable, at just $24.99. Being able to make an appointment was reassuring, and the testing process was easy to understand and went smoothly. The entire testing process from instruction to receiving of emailed test results took 25 minutes! The only downside is having to use a laptop or a desktop with camera/microphone.
Note: The site for the iHealth test is currently showing as sold out. We are not sure if this happens often or when space will be available. We decided to still publish the review so that you are aware of the option and can keep checking back for availability.
Thanks again to Lea for the great review!
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The biggest problem that threw us for a loop is that you must have a laptop. Who travels on an international vacation with a laptop?!? (We were hiking central England, so we needed to travel light.) Hotels don’t have cameras on their computers so we had to buy the more expensive local tests to get back into the US.
Something to be aware of for sure.
I always travel with my laptop. Here in Italy for a month and it is no problem. I tried using just a phone only once on an international trip and that was a nightmare. I do not see how some could NOT travel with at least a small laptop or notebook.
I am overseas and have been checking the site to purchase the service for over a week now and it has been showing sold out all the time. Do not bother!
Are there any kits that you are supposed to be doable with just a mobile phone instead of a laptop?
BinaxNow is good with cell phones. Not sure about Azova
I’ve been traveling for business with 20 crew people (photo crew) for over a year now, multiple international trips, using the binax now tests. None of us have ever waited more than one minute to get connected with a proctor to do the test. I would highly recommend them as a good alternative to finding testing in the Caribbean.
I used this service with my free self tests to come back from Italy in April. After I purchased the service I read the requirements of laptop only, as I do not have a laptop I used my Samsung S7 in website mode and was successful. The only problem I had was I had to hold it so the test strip was visible for 15 min per the proctor. If I had known this I would have had something to prop it so the camera could stay positioned on the test
I have a small stack of the iHealth tests and this service could be very handy. Thanks for this post!
The service seems sold out for now, but FWIW, I’ve done the iMed proctored COVID test with the BinaxNow about ten times now and have never personally waited more than a couple minutes if at all. It’s been very solid for me.
Yeah hopefully they open up slots / it comes back soon.
they are sold out for testing times.
It is no longer offering me travel testing, unfortunately
FlowFlex tests ($9.99 at CVS, or possibly free from USPS if you’re lucky) with AZOVA proctoring ($20, can be scheduled ahead of time in 8 minute increments)
HT milesearnandburn.com
Damn. I have those rest with me in Italy and after not finding info on online testing TODAY I arranged and paid for a test here for departure. Just missed this info by three hours! Arg!!
Yes for the past 1 week or so i cant buy any ihealth telehealth since i already got the free test at home as it keep show as “sold” out. Hopefully it will back in stock soon, and i amy have buy different tele test if i cant get it by next month.