Medicare Expands Access, Coverage for At-Home Covid-19 Tests

More than 59 million people with Medicare “Part B” outpatient coverage are now eligible for up to eight free over-the-counter Covid-19 tests each month, the Biden administration announced Monday.

Even beneficiaries enrolled in private Medicare Advantage plans that provide program benefits can get free tests that have been approved, authorized, or cleared for sale by the Food & Drug Administration.

This first-ever Medicare coverage of store-bought, self-administered tests at no cost is a new initiative that provides direct program payments to eligible pharmacies and other health-care providers. It allows Medicare beneficiaries to get free tests in addition to the two sets of four free at-home Covid-19 tests that can be ordered from covidtests.gov.

The CMS issued a fact sheet with more information about the coverage.

“This is all part of our overall strategy to ramp up access to easy-to-use, at-home tests free of charge,” Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement. “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 delivering close to 250 million at-home, rapid tests to send for free to Americans who need them.”

Pharmacy chains participating in the Initiative include Albertsons Companies Inc., Costco Pharmacy, CVS, Food Lion, Giant Food, the Giant Co., Hannaford Pharmacies, H-E-B Pharmacy, Hy-Vee Pharmacy, Kroger Family of Pharmacies, Rite Aid Corp., Shop & Stop, Walgreens, and Walmart.

Participating providers and suppliers include pharmacies and other health-care providers who are enrolled in Medicare and can furnish ambulatory health-care services like preventive vaccines, Covid testing, and regular medical visits.

Health-care providers interested in participating can get more information from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.