Capstone reopens COVID testing clinics in South Anchorage and Wasilla, citing public demand

After initially closing its COVID-19 testing facilities around the state last week, one of Alaska’s largest private testing providers has reopened two sites in Southcentral.

The locations, one at the Old Sears store in Wasilla, and the other in South Anchorage at 100 E. 104th Ave. (near Cabela’s and Target off C Street), reopened after Capstone Clinic received calls to keep testing opportunities in place after they shuttered all of their sites.

The clinic had closed its testing sites June 30 for financial reasons, after the federal government moved to no longer cover COVID-19 tests for people without health insurance, and testing volume began to sink.

“The volume of COVID testing has dropped dramatically, it’s like someone shut off a faucet,” said Matt Jones, who manages COVID-19 testing for the clinic.

But people said they still needed testing for work, travel, treatment and school come fall, he said.

“It was made to understand that there is a need for COVID testing still out there in the public,” Jones said. “And we can still provide that COVID testing. Unfortunately, we can’t essentially give it away like we were doing before but we try to make it as affordable as possible.”

Capstone Clinic consolidated operations to just two sites, one in Wasilla and one in Anchorage, reduced overhead and hours with less staff and opted to charge uninsured people for the tests, Jones said.

Capstone will bill insurance for COVID-19 testing, Jones said, which insurance is still covering under the federal emergency order. But people with a copay or deductible may receive a bill, he said.

And for people who are uninsured, tests at the Capstone sites cost $85.

The sites are open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.