FAQ's
What is the Baseline COVID-19 Program?
The Baseline COVID-19 Program was established as part of California’s community-based testing program under the direction of the California Department of Public Health. The Baseline COVID-19 Program is a connected and secure solution to support individuals from screening through testing and receipt of their test results, which is done under physician direction. Unlike a simple digital screener, this connected solution enables follow-up with individuals who are screened for future testing based on changes in screening criteria. This program has already screened thousands of individuals in California and is expanding to other states. The Baseline COVID-19 Program is collaborating with other healthcare partners to expand access to testing.
Why do I need to make an appointment?
Every day, the Baseline platform generates a set of requisitions and specimen sample labels that can be printed and placed on samples as they are collected. Because this is not a drive-thru vaccine site, and instead a drive-thru testing site, the samples collected must be matched to the correct requision and labels, to ensure that the results are provided to the correct person. By making an appointment ahead of time, the physicians on staff are able to create testing orders for the correct people scheduled to be tested that day. If you need assistance making an appointment in your location, please contact (530) 623-8235 and someone will be able to assist you.
Why am I asked to create an account?
For the Baseline COVID-19 Program to work, Verily needs a way to authenticate users to appropriately protect their information. Verily turned to Google for this service because Google Account provides best in class authentication. We ask that you link to an existing Google Account or create a new Google Account (which can be done with any email address) for authentication purposes and so that we may securely and privately contact you during the screening and testing process. All the data provided by Baseline COVID-19 Program users for screening is stored separately and not directly linked to a user’s Google Account, which is used for authentication purposes.
Am I eligible for testing?
If you are over the age of 18, and complete the online registration form, you are eligible to be tested through Verily.
How much does it cost to be tested?
If you're in California, you will be asked to provide your health insurance information to schedule an appointment. Most health insurance plans will cover the full cost of testing, at no expense to you. If you don't have insurance, you will not be charged for the services provided. We encourage you to check with your health insurance plan to see if they will cover testing through this program, particularly if you have any of the following plans: short-term, limited-duration insurance retiree-only health plans.
How will you protect my privacy and data?
The Baseline COVID-19 Program was designed with the privacy and security of personal health information at the forefront. Verily's Baseline COVID-19 Program is supported by our existing Baseline platform, which was built to securely manage personal health information and designed to follow applicable federal and state regulations governing the collection and use of an individual's data. Data collected by Verily from individuals is used and disclosed in accordance with the permissions obtained through our authorization form and data is stored in advanced systems with security and privacy protocols.Verily’s Baseline COVID-19 Program uses Google infrastructure, security services, data storage, website hosting, and other support functions to safely store and protect the data collected on the COVID-19 Program website. Google has a world class team of security and privacy experts dedicated to building, maintaining, and evolving defenses for the Google ecosystem. Google works diligently to keep its infrastructure, code, data, and other intangible assets secure from unauthorized access, alteration, and disclosure.
How do I get tested?
There are two steps to this process: screening and testing. First, you will create an account and take the online screener. The screening questions provide information to public health authorities and help prioritize individuals for scheduling based on site capacity. If there is an available appointment, you will receive details on how and where to get tested. Once tested, you'll be informed via email or phone when your COVID-19 test results are available.
You can register up to 3 days ahead of your appointment date. To begin the registration and screening process, visit www.projectbaseline.com/covid-19. If you need assistance in completing the registration and screening process, please call (530) 623-8235 and someone will contact you to provide assistance.
