Late last week the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the decision that it will cover the cost of at-home, rapid Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) tests by early spring under traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage. Several U.S. Senators, including Colorado’s Michael Bennet, had urged this decision to cover seniors and individuals with disabilities.
Currently, most private insurance companies are required to cover the cost of up to eight over-the-counter at-home COVID-19 tests per person, per month, but the 61 million Americans enrolled in Medicare or private Medicare Advantage plans (including one in every four Chaffee County residents) do not now have this benefit.
“This is great news for seniors and individuals with disabilities in Colorado and across the country who are at a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19,” said Bennet. “I’m glad the Biden Administration listened to our request and will implement this change in early spring to ensure all Medicare and Medicare Advantage enrollees have access to free, at-home rapid COVID-19 tests.”
Under the new initiative, CMS will directly pay participating pharmacies and other participating entities to allow beneficiaries to pick up tests at no cost and without needing to be reimbursed. Medicare beneficiaries and all Coloradans can still request free, at-home COVID-19 tests for delivery now at covidtests.gov. (However, these tests have been taking so long to get, that pundits have begun to joke that this new coverage program may kick in before those earlier tests arrive.)
In addition to this newly-secured benefit, Bennet is also pushing to expand TRICARE coverage of at-home COVID-19 tests for service members and their families. Currently, TRICARE beneficiaries can only receive coverage for at-home tests if they have an order or referral from a TRICARE-authorized provider.
Featured image: COVID 19-testing image courtesy of Evergreen Health.
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