The Biden Administration is expanding access to in-home COVID-19 tests, requiring private health insurers and group health plans to cover the cost of the over-the-counter tests. The move is designed to get more of the self-administered tests into the hands of consumers for free by Jan. 15.
Under the plan, insurance companies and health plans are now required to cover eight free at-home tests per covered person, per month. There is no limit to the number of tests, including at-home versions, that are covered if administered by a health care provider following a clinical assessment.
“This is all part of our overall strategy to ramp-up access to easy-to-use, at-home tests at no cost,” Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said. “Since we took office, we have more than tripled the number of sites where people can get COVID-19 tests for free, and we’re also purchasing half a billion at-home, rapid tests to send for free to Americans who need them. By requiring private health plans to cover people’s at-home tests, we are further expanding Americans’ ability to get tests for free when they need them.”
The administration has set up a program that lets consumers get the tests directly from pharmacies and other retailers. Insurance companies and health plans will foot the up-front costs of the tests that won’t require patients to submit claims for reimbursement.
