How to get free at-home Covid tests with your health insurance

Private health insurers are rolling their procedures for people to get their at-home Covid tests at little to no charge.

The Biden administration announced the policy toward the end of last year ordering insurers to reimburse those they cover for the tests, and additional guidance was put out this month. In addition, free tests are now available by mail to millions of Americans, regardless of their insurance status.

The program for those who are privately insured will allow for up to eight tests a month per person, and the tests should be accessible at local pharmacies and online. But each plan has its own quirks.

Here’s what you need to know.

The answer is no.

The 150 million Americans who have private health insurance are eligible. That includes people insured by their employer, as well as those who’ve bought a plan on the Affordable Care Act’s marketplace, said Lindsey Dawson, a policy expert at the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Those covered through Medicare will not be reimbursed under this program. Medicaid enrollees may benefit from the initiative, with some states setting up a reimbursement mechanism, but you should check with your state for more information.

Short-term or health-care sharing plans don’t have to participate in the government program, said Sabrina Corlette, co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy.

It varies by insurer.

Depending on your provider, you’ll either be able to get the tests at no upfront cost or you’ll need to lay out for them and then file for reimbursement. In a recent review of policy plans, the Kaiser Family Foundation found that about half of insurers are allowing for “direct coverage,” and half are requiring their enrollees to go through the reimbursement process.

You should call your insurer or look on their website to find out your options.

If you can get an over-the-counter test without paying for the cost, your insurer will likely have a list of preferred retailers where you can do so. For example, United Health Care’s spots include Walmart and Sam’s Club.

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If you’re going the reimbursement route, make sure you hold on to your receipt, said Caitlin Donovan, a spokesperson for the Patient Advocate Foundation

“Your normal receipt should be fine — I’ve even printed out receipts from Amazon — and then you would have to send it in,” said Donovan.

Many insurers are currently requiring the reimbursement forms be mailed to them. Other options include fax and online submission. Some insurers are requiring enrollees to submit product barcode information, as well as your receipt, Dawson said.

Keep in mind at-home Covid tests are also an eligible expense for flexible savings accounts…