Pangea Laboratory is donating 50,000 COVID PCR tests, which have been made available for free to the uninsured in Los Angeles and Orange County.
The donation, worth more than $5 million, was made possible with help from Zymo Research offering their Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) Quick SARS-CoV-2 rRT-PCR Kits at a discounted rate.
Through collaborations with CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort), the Orange County Health Care Agency (HCA) and community health organizations, Pangea Laboratory will continue running PCR tests with a 24-hour turnaround at no cost to uninsured patients until this supply is depleted. The COVID test donating began on March 22, 2022, and Pangea Laboratory has since conducted more than 4,000 free tests for those without health insurance.
“Our mission at Pangea Laboratory has always been to make quality healthcare more accessible and affordable,” says Yap Ching Chew, PhD, MS, COO of Pangea Laboratory. “Especially as we are seeing cases rise, keeping testing available for everyone is absolutely crucial.”
Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) funding for COVID-19 claims reimbursement ended on March 22, 2022, leading to widespread suspension of testing services for those without health insurance. No additional funding is being offered for uninsured Americans.
“We are very grateful to Pangea Laboratory for rising to the occasion to help CORE continue to provide COVID-19 testing to uninsured individuals in Los Angeles at no cost to them,” says Ann Lee, CORE co-founder and CEO. “These communities can’t afford to have their lifeline to critical services cut off, and we are dedicated to continuing to deliver equitable relief.”
Throughout the pandemic, Pangea Laboratory has performed thousands of COVID tests for the uninsured, many of whom are frontline workers or who run small businesses within our community.
“We are grateful for Pangea Laboratory’s donation and their support of our most vulnerable populations,” says Clayton Chau, MD, PhD, HCA Director. “We know that testing helps to reduce the rate of transmission of COVID-19 and appreciate this contribution to support testing efforts in Orange County.”
Throughout the pandemic, Pangea Laboratory has worked closely with telehealth leaders, non-profit organizations, and public health departments to offer convenient drive-through, pop-up and drop-off testing locations across Southern California. Pangea Laboratory also provides white glove corporate testing solutions nationwide that make it possible for workers to return to the office without disruption, and for school districts to maintain safe in-person learning.
“We want to express our gratitude to Pangea Laboratory for its valuable donation, which will allow those with less resources and without health insurance to continue receiving testing services,” says America Bracho, MD, MPH, executive director of Latino Health Access. “These are crucial to avoid transmitting the disease, to seek treatment when needed, and to take a financial burden off their shoulders knowing where no-cost services are provided so they can safely return to work.”
