COVID testing—the kind they send to a lab— is supposed to be free in the U.S. But it’s never been quite that simple. We’re revisiting our sadly-still-relevant interview with Sarah Kliff from the New York Times, who joined us in November 2020 to share what she learned from reading hundreds of COVID testing bills.

Her advice? Avoid the ER, do some research ahead of time, and ask if they’re going to do any other tests (which may not be covered 100%).

We summed up some of her advice in a recent First Aid Kit newsletter, and then added some more COVID-test advice in this week's First Aid Kit.

Here's a transcript for this episode.

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2022 update: How to avoid a big bill for your COVID test (feat. Sarah Kliff)

An Arm and a Leg

2022 update: How to avoid a big bill for your COVID test (feat. Sarah Kliff)