quote:

A nationwide COVID-19 test company that the federal government has paid more than $100 million will keep its doors closed indefinitely. The Center for COVID Control (CCC) is under investigation in several states, including California, for mishandling people’s COVID-19 tests.

Over the past few weeks, patients have complained that the Illinois-based company and its lab, Doctors Clinical Laboratory, failed to deliver results, delivered inaccurate results, or delivered results when people weren’t even tested.

In Mountain View, Alan Arndt got a PCR test in December. He’s still waiting for results. “It never showed up,” he said. “I sent [CCC] an email about that. Never heard back on the email. And it’s been like three weeks now.”

A Medicare inspection of CCC’s Illinois lab partner showed multiple deficiencies, according to a report obtained by NBC Bay Area. The federal inspectors noted, among other things: staff improperly handled temperature-sensitive samples, techs left some samples unlabeled, workers improperly read test results -- either too early or too late, and staff lacked proper training. Many patients’ samples are likely to have spoiled, rendering their results useless, the report said.