Capstone re-opens COVID testing sites in Wasilla, Anchorage

On June 30, Capstone Clinic had initially closed its COVID testing facilities across the state.

“As a result of the ending of federal and state reimbursements, we were forced to shut down our testing sites by June 30th,” said Matt Jones, Director of Non-Clinical Operations and manager of the comprehensive statewide COVID testing program and clinics.

In a strange twist, however, public demand has started picking up as travel has picked up and a possible uptick in cases expected in the fall as students return to school.

“The public, providers, and owners were all calling, suggesting there was still a need for testing,” said Jones.

The challenge then put in front of them is how to meet demand and keep costs affordable for patients but still be able to pay staff.

“Unfortunately, we can’t essentially give it away like we were doing before but we try to make it as affordable as possible,” said Jones, which is why Capstone Clinic has limited operations to just two sites, one in Wasilla, at the old Sears store on Seward-Meridian Parkway, and one in Anchorage.

Meanwhile, Alaska’s seven-day case rate per 100,000 people is second highest in the nation as of this week, behind Hawaii, according to a CDC tracker. Nationally, cases are increasing slightly.

For the reporting period June 29-July 5 from DHSS, Alaska reported 3,323 COVID cases, a decrease from 3,660 cases reported last week. This week’s total includes 56 hospitalizations, a decrease from the 87 reported by the state the previous week, and no deaths. That data doesn’t include at-home tests, which often do not get reported.

Jones could not give a definitive time frame for when the Capstone Clinic COVID testing would remain open, but instead that staff and providers would continue to monitor cases and demand, with the goal being the testing sites to remain open through the fall.

While nearly every insurance provider covers the cost of COVID tests, for those without health insurance needing a test, tests at the Capstone sites cost $85.

The Capstone COVID test sites are open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.