Hawaii Trusted Testing Partners

[jedimasterjem]

did she go to pier 30? The San Francisco city one does work then?

 

[klpca]

My daughter and her friends had a good experience with the Color Covid testing. All are San Francisco residents and got free tests at the Embarcadero site. They were tested at 5:30 pm on a Wednesday evening and received their negative results early Thursday morning. They uploaded their results to the Safe Travels Hawaii website and received their QR codes within an hour. There had no issues when they arrived in Lihue.

My daughter had actually booked a second Covid test on Thursday morning to be sure she would have the results before her Saturday morning flight, but ended up canceling that appointment because she already had her official QR code from Hawaii.

How recent was their trip? I'm just wondering about turnaround times now that cases are spiking. I am supposed to be taking my dad back "home" for a trip down memory lane in Dec and I'm getting spooked by, well everything. Increasing cases, increased testing demands etc.

 

[Mary W]

They arrived just last Saturday, the 14th, and are in Kauai now. They went to the Color testing site at Piers 30/32 at Bryant and Embarcadero. I’m not sure how far in advance they made their appointments and if they got some kind of priority because they are SF residents.

 

[jedimasterjem]

Well good news is that Vault is sending test kids next day UPS AIR so ill receive it in time. I also have my COLOR test scheduled just in case, I have priority due to being a city employee. Only downfall is that I tried to schedule my wife and child but nothing available, it is 2 weeks out.

 

[eyedude]

Well good news is that Vault is sending test kids next day UPS AIR so ill receive it in time. I also have my COLOR test scheduled just in case, I have priority due to being a city employee. Only downfall is that I tried to schedule my wife and child but nothing available, it is 2 weeks out.

Yes...I received my test kit next day air. However, two of my tests have not been sent yet and I ordered them several days ago. Did you get a confirmation email that yours was sent out? I hope so since you are in a time crunch. For others considering Vault, order your tests way in advance. I will update if/when they send my other two tests out.

 

[jedimasterjem]

Yes...I received my test kit next day air. However, two of my tests have not been sent yet and I ordered them several days ago. Did you get a confirmation email that yours was sent out? I hope so since you are in a time crunch. For others considering Vault, order your tests way in advance. I will update if/when they send my other two tests out.

I did not get an email, it was a notification from UPS Choice. I only got one from UPS and I ordered my test kit after I ordered the other two, if that matters. Hopefully the other two will come tomorrow or by friday.

 

[crf450x]

Here is another data point from our testing and arrival to HNL yesterday. My flight from LAX-HNL departed Wednesday at 12:45pm. Ordered the Vault covid test the week prior. Took the test via zoom at 1pm Sunday just under 72 hours from departure.

Our packages of vault covid tests were dropped off to a ups store that was opened on Sunday but it was not picked up until 5pm Monday. Vault received our 4 covid test kits Tuesday at roughly 12pm. I had heard reports of many people getting their test results back the same day. That was not the case for us. We were getting very nervous because we were not going to fly without the negative test results uploaded onto the Hawaii safe travels site.

Yesterday, Wednesday morning and the day of our departure I wake up to see 3 of 4 of the Negative test results were emailed to us at approximately 2am. But one of the test results was still missing. Getting very nervous with the flight coming up in a few hours.

Finally around 8am we get the final Negative test results and we are able to travel without quarantine. I can highly recommend Vault for travel to Hawaii.

Arrival at HNL was a breeze with all of our documents printed as back up and everything uploaded and health questionnaire answered and executed on line on the Hawaii safe travel website. Took less than 5 minutes to clear the screening. I did notice traveler's having a much more difficult time clearing the screening check point but I presume they didn't follow the on line registration correctly.

Grateful to be back on the island.

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[frank808]

I had the same great process taking at most 2 minutes to show ID and QR code scanned. Went along our merry way. Even got to the baggage carousel before lugguage even came off the belt. First time waiting for lugguage in at least 3 years at HNL.

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[HudsHut]

My brother is flying Hawaiian, and Hawaiian's website directed him to Worksite Labs (at/near SFO) for the COVID test. Yesterday, he made appointments for his family with WorkSite for Dec 24. He would like to submit the receipts to his insurance. However, worksite's receipt is quite generic - just lists yesterday's date and the $90 fee, with no indication of what it is for. He has called and emailed WorkSite, and they say they are not set up to provide a detailed receipt for insurance -- they don't have a charge code for the insurance. Do any of the other trusted partners have tests that will be paid by insurance?

 

[Henry M.]

Has anybody used the Costco test kit? I was wondering which test is the quickest to deliver results. I am tempted to go with Vault based on the positive results above. I am in the same boat, with a flight to Maui at noon on a Wednesday. The governor of Hawaii just announced that starting Nov. 24 test results have to be uploaded before the flight to Hawaii departs, or travelers will have to quarantine the full 14 days when they arrive.

 

[bnoble]

We had already decided to cancel our late December/early January trip just out of a desire to limit our contribution to potential spread. But if we hadn't, this would be enough to push us across that line:

"Governor David Ige announced today that starting next Tuesday, Nov. 24, travelers wishing to bypass the 14-day mandatory quarantine must have their COVID-19 test results – from a trusted testing partner – prior to departure for the State of Hawaiʻi."

This thread is for factual updates on Hawaii Travel News - O.N.L.Y.

Maui County is moving forward with the pre-travel COVID testing program, without the second test, so far: https://www.mauicounty.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=10432

tugbbs.com

We did screening tests at CVS before some travel in the lower 48. Three of our four tests came back in that timeframe, but the fourth took an extra day. This sort of uncertainty means I won't risk it: if the test result is late, there is nothing you can do---if you fly as originally planned, you have to quarantine because the result isn't uploaded before departure. If you push your flight back, your test is outside the 72 hour window. In either case, you must quarantine.

C'est la vie. We'll try again in August. Hopefully by then a mix of effective public health policies from the Federal govt. plus the beginnings of vaccine distribution will make things more tenable then.

 

[eyedude]

Has anybody used the Costco test kit? I was wondering which test is the quickest to deliver results. I am tempted to go with Vault based on the positive results above. I am in the same boat, with a flight to Maui at noon on a Wednesday. The governor of Hawaii just announced that starting Nov. 24 test results have to be uploaded before the flight to Hawaii departs, or travelers will have to quarantine the full 14 days when they arrive.

I ordered the Vault test for myself and 3 family members. For some reason, I only had to pay for 1 test because it said my state paid for the other 3...not sure why. To date, I have only received 2/4 tests...they were ordered 5 days ago. I was worried Vault would not get my results to me on time because they can't even get me the test kits to me...So, I started to look for alternatives. Yesterday, I ordered 4 Costco kits since I rationalized I only had to pay for one Vault test. Costco already sent an email that my kits will be here tomorrow. Also, I was able to already schedule an online appointment time to do my tests in early December with Azova (Costco Partner). I will still do the Vault tests (if they all arrive). It is probably overkill to do two tests but it is our 25th wedding anniversary, so I am doing everything I can to make my bride happy. If we do not get our results on time we will not go...it just was not meant to be. I did everything I could...God's will, not mine.

 

[jedimasterjem]

Update, I received all three vault kits on Thursday. Tomorrow we will do the test after 1115am (flight out of SEA to HNL is 1115am), we still have our Kaiser tests and will do them as well, but we had to take one earlier a week and couple days ago they results return was very inconsistent my wife and I returned 2.5 days, son 3 day and daughter 5th day. And I have one with my employer who uses COLOR tomorrow at 4. I feel like it’s overkill but with the new rules it makes it very stressful in getting results back with in their window. If we don’t get results by Tuesday 6am I guess it was not meant to be.

Right now I don’t know if it’s worth it especially with the stress in obtaining a negative test before departing as places are proving results in the closer to 72 hours.


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[10spro]

My brother is flying Hawaiian, and Hawaiian's website directed him to Worksite Labs (at/near SFO) for the COVID test. Yesterday, he made appointments for his family with WorkSite for Dec 24. He would like to submit the receipts to his insurance. However, worksite's receipt is quite generic - just lists yesterday's date and the $90 fee, with no indication of what it is for. He has called and emailed WorkSite, and they say they are not set up to provide a detailed receipt for insurance -- they don't have a charge code for the insurance. Do any of the other trusted partners have tests that will be paid by insurance?

We just tested at Worksite near SFO yesterday. They seem genuinely interested in helping you through the process. We called and emailed through the website, it took a few days for them to get back to us, but now we have a contact person, and he has been extremely helpful with all of our questions. I'm sure if you request a special receipt for insurance purposes they will do something for you. It can't be the first request like that they've had.

 

[Henry M.]

I ordered the two Vault test kits yesterday and got the UPS tracking information a short time later. UPS shows they will arrive today (Saturday).

My issue is that my flight is on a Wednesday, so theoretically, I should test Sunday. The UPS store is closed on Sundays, however, so it would be better to take the test Monday.

I don't know it the time of the test changes priority for the results even if delivery to Vault doesn't change. Vault would get the materials at the same time Tuesday either way, since the single daily pickup for overnight delivery is around 5:00pm at the UPS Store near me. I think if I take the test Monday, I have the chance to move my flight if the results are not in by early Wednesday. In fact, I already have a cancellable ticket for Thursday, just in case. I tried to call Vault yesterday afternoon, but got dropped to voicemail.

 

[controller1]

"Due to high demand from healthcare providers for our COVID-19 molecular diagnostic testing services, Quest Diagnostics is suspending its participation in the Hawaii Pre-travel Testing Program, effective November 22, 2020."

As the virus is increasing in mainland U.S. I wonder if this is just the first of the Trusted Testing Partners who will elect to drop out due to demands from their core group of healthcare customers.

COVID-19 testing for patients

COVID-19 tests are available to purchase at questhealth.com or through a doctor’s order. Compare your symptoms for clarity on which test option is right for you.

patient.questdiagnostics.com

 

[Dean]

"Due to high demand from healthcare providers for our COVID-19 molecular diagnostic testing services, Quest Diagnostics is suspending its participation in the Hawaii Pre-travel Testing Program, effective November 22, 2020."

As the virus is increasing in mainland U.S. I wonder if this is just the first of the Trusted Testing Partners who will elect to drop out due to demands from their core group of healthcare customers.

COVID-19 testing for patients

COVID-19 tests are available to purchase at questhealth.com or through a doctor’s order. Compare your symptoms for clarity on which test option is right for you.

patient.questdiagnostics.com

My guess is no but prices may increase. I think the issue with Quest is they have such a contract system in place already that they are contractually committed to support that it's difficult to do nickel and dime options that are essentially one off's. The largest clinical Lab, LabCorp, was never in the program likely for the same reason. My guess is HI will loosen their requirements to any PCR option and drop the "trusted partner" issue.

 

[bnoble]

As a data point, I did a voluntary test at CVS that took more than 72 hours just this past week. I did not designate it for Hawaii travel, though, so they may have handled it with a lower priority.

 

[Tucsonadventurer]

As a data point, I did a voluntary test at CVS that took more than 72 hours just this past week. I did not designate it for Hawaii travel, though, so they may have handled it
How do you designate ate

 

[Tucsonadventurer]

How do you designate it for Hawaii travel? Is there an additional fee for faster service?

 

[bnoble]

How do you designate it for Hawaii travel? Is there an additional fee for faster service?

When you sign up for CVS' voluntary testing, you can take it for "Travel to Hawaii" "Travel to another destination" or "Other reason." I went out of state a few weeks back and got a test for "another destination" on departure and "other reason" after returning. The fees for both of those was $140. I don't know if "to Hawaii" is a different fee. There is no option to expedite that I saw for the other two.

But, this uncertainty coupled with the new order that you must have a negative test that was (a) administered within 72 hours of departure of final travel leg and (b) returns a negative test before departure was enough for us to cancel our two weeks late next month/early January. As cases continue to grow exponentially, we thought it would be very likely that test turnarounds would continue to increase.

 

[Tucsonadventurer]

When you sign up for CVS' voluntary testing, you can take it for "Travel to Hawaii" "Travel to another destination" or "Other reason." I went out of state a few weeks back and got a test for "another destination" on departure and "other reason" after returning. The fees for both of those was $140. I don't know if "to Hawaii" is a different fee. There is no option to expedite that I saw for the other two.

But, this uncertainty coupled with the new order that you must have a negative test that was (a) administered within 72 hours of departure of final travel leg and (b) returns a negative test before departure was enough for us to cancel our two weeks late next month/early January. As cases continue to grow exponentially, we thought it would be very likely that test turnarounds would continue to increase.

Makes sense. We are going for 10 weeks starting Jan so may need to switch flights and try Hawaii airlines. They offer testing strictly for travel and have quicker turnarounds. If worst case scenario, we will quarantine for 2 weeks, but looking at the ocean for 2 weeks without being able to get near it would be torture. Once the vaccine is available travel should get easier

 

[slip]

Beat of Hawaii just announced that CVS is not a partner for Hawaii because they are overwhelmed.
https://beatofhawaii.com/cvs-pulls-...ut-of-hawaii-testing-vault-others-overwhelmed

 

[controller1]

Beat of Hawaii just announced that CVS is not a partner for Hawaii because they are overwhelmed.
https://beatofhawaii.com/cvs-pulls-...ut-of-hawaii-testing-vault-others-overwhelmed

So that is two partners who have left in just four days.

 

[slip]

So that is two partners who have left in just four days.

It certainly isn’t going to help things.