Florida Has No Limits On COVID-19 Price Drop Tests

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PALM HARBOR, Fla .– With wait times of several hours for COVID-19 testing continuing, home testing is nearly impossible to find. Now, as reports of price hikes mount, the I-Team has uncovered a state move contributing to what could be free pricing for home testing.

The search for answers began when viewers reached out to the I-Team, fearing that a local pharmacy would sell door-to-door COVID-19 tests for around $ 50 – double the going rate.

RELATED: Big Changes to COVID-19 Home Testing Expected This Week

Inside the Palm Harbor Pharmacy, the pulse of a team trying to keep pace can be felt by anyone who walks in – phones ringing, prescriptions filled, COVID-19 tests done, and booster shots administered.

“It’s the busiest we’ve ever been. This increase and the tests, this increase and the positive cases, this increase and the phone calls, the patients and the nervous parents, ”owner and pharmacist Nicolette Mathey told the I-Team. “This is more than we ever saw in the original COVID, more than what we saw in the delta wave, this omicron is the worst we have seen, from a community perspective, in this which concerns the test request. “

Mathey said she enjoys solving problems.

“It’s almost like a puzzle.”

But this puzzle – putting together a clear picture of what people need to protect their families from the omicron variant – has pieces missing.

“There are a lot of issues to be addressed right now,” said Mathey.

One of the biggest is the shortage of in-home COVID-19 testing in stores and online.

LIST: Where can I get tested for COVID-19 in the Tampa Bay area?

The last week of December, Palm Harbor Pharmacy obtained a limited supply of in-home tests. The price to pay for customers was $ 49.95 for a box of two tests.

It was at this point that the I-Team started receiving snapshots of receipts from people upset that the price had doubled if they had been paid a few days earlier at drugstore chains, alleging price increases.

“We had a very difficult decision for our community of Palm Harbor. Do we pay a premium for these tests and actually stock them for our community? Said Mathey. “We have to pay credit card fees, I have to pay staff to receive and sell these tests, we have to limit our own exposure to people who are sick and coming for home testing, so we decided to bring in a few case, we paid a premium. Unfortunately, they were expensive.

Under Florida law, price increases can only be reported and enforced during a state of emergency. So really, nothing stops selling COVID-19 home tests at all costs.

Governor Ron DeSantis authorized the expiration of the public health emergency on June 26, 2021.

Emergency orders remain in effect in 24 other states, including North Carolina.

In a press release on Wednesday, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein asked residents to report price increases related to the pandemic by filing a complaint.

“Even though people continue to get vaccinated, we are still in this pandemic,” Attorney General Josh Stein said. “If you are shopping for COVID-19 tests or other goods and services related to the pandemic in the coming weeks and see excessive prices, let my office know. I have already taken successful action against those who attempt to illegally take advantage of North Carolinians during this crisis, and I will not hesitate to do so in the future. “

RELATED: Walmart, Kroger Raise Prices for In-Home COVID Tests After White House Agreement Expires

In September, Walmart, Kroger, and Amazon all agreed to sell the two-pack home test boxes for $ 14. This agreement expired in December.

“If we could, we would bring them. No matter what I can afford at this point, for the home tests to get them, I can’t get them. It’s impossible right now, ”said Mathey. “We’re on the phone several hours a day, several people in our procurement team, just trying to bring these things into our community. “

RELATED: Manatee County Distributed 7,500 Home COVID-19 Test Kits Before Quickly Running Out

The I-Team asked the owner of Palm Harbor Pharmacy what kind of pressure she feels.

“All kinds of pressure. I’m here until midnight several nights trying to catch up and help meet the demand.

This demand includes the work to keep in stock the most accurate rapid antigenic tests and PCR tests on the market and necessary for certain international trips.

“Yesterday, for the first time, we missed our PCR tests. And we were supposed to get more from the manufacturer and we didn’t. We were told that they had all been transferred and assigned to the government. So now we’re being told we’re going to get more on Tuesday, hopefully that’s true, but we have patients who have appointments for these tests, they need them to take their international flights, to leave the countries and fly internationally and I’m afraid they can’t do that, ”said Mathey.

CDC on COVID-19 Testing: What You Need to Know

RECOMMENDED: Florida health authorities release new COVID-19 testing guidelines

“Our team is exhausted. They work harder than they’ve ever worked, they keep smiling and do their best for our community, ”said Mathey.

RELATED: 600 Hillsborough Teachers Call In Sick As COVID Cases Rise in Tampa Bay

As hourly wait times for free COVID-19 tests at city and county sites continue, crooks can exploit the demand, using it as an opportunity to steal personal, financial or medical information .

Attorney General Ashley Moody recently warned Floridians to watch out for illegitimate pop-up testing sites designed to steal your information, private companies that need personal information to sign up for a home testing service, but will not guarantee not a meeting time. , and false home COVID-19 tests.

To avoid becoming a victim, visit the Attorney General’s website for a full list of things to watch out for.

CONSUMER ALERT: Beware of COVID-19 test scams as Omicron cases rise across country

If you suspect a COVID-19 test scam, report it to the GA office by calling 866-9NO-SCAM.

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