The Biden administration is reopening a program mailing free COVID-19 tests to households who request them and is investing $600 million into boosting test manufacturing.

More Americans will again have access to free at-home COVID-19 tests after the expiration of the public health emergency this spring meant many insurers no longer had to fully cover the cost.

• The announcement comes as COVID hospitalizations have continued creeping up, passing 20,000 for the first time since March, according to ABC News.

Details: Starting Sept. 25, households can order four free tests through COVIDTests.gov.

• HHS said the tests are intended for use through the end of 2023 and will come with instructions on how people can verify if the tests’ expiration date has been extended.
• The Biden administration said it expects to secure about 200 million tests from its new investments in 12 U.S. manufacturers.
• Federal health officials last month said they still have a large number of tests in the Strategic National Stockpile, but they did not specify how many remain.
• The administration has been sending some of those tests to places serving vulnerable populations, such as federally qualified health centers and assisted-living facilities.
• The Biden administration says it’s previously provided more than 755 million at-home tests through its partnership with the U.S. Postal Service..

Previous Posts on Covid Test Reimbursements:

Order 4 Free Home Covid-19 Tests Per Household From Covidtests.gov (No Credit Card Required).

The White House has reopened a program allowing people in the US to order batches of at-home coronavirus tests at no cost, as officials prepare for an increase in cases through the winter.

Home Covid Tests Covered & Reimbursed By Health Insurers (Max 8 per Month, $12 Each)

This new insurance benefit is live. Below are links to two options on Amazon which  can get reimbursed (affiliate links):

• iHealth 2-pack for $19.80
• On/Go 2-pack for $24
• On/Go 20-pack for $229

Multi-pack tests would presumably count as separate tests for reimbursement, e.g. if you buy a two-pack for $24 you should be able to get the entire $24 reimbursed, but you may want to check with your insurer to verify that.

Original Post:

A new rule set in place for U.S. health insurance companies requires them to cover the cost of at-home tests ordered online or purchased from a store. Insurance companies will be required to cover up to $12 per test and up to 8 over-the-counter tests per person each month. This new benefit begins on January 15.

White House press release | FAQ

Pharmacies might be able to give you the products for free and bill insurance directly. If not, you can submit a claim to insurance and get reimbursed afterward. It’s useful to have some at-home tests on hand in case you need to test before travel or after getting symptoms, I’ll probably order a few to keep on hand in case of need.

There are likely non-rapid tests available also for at-home use which require mailing out the test; not sure how much those cost. If anyone has more information on the best options to use, ideally keeping within the $12 allowance, feel free to share in the comments below.

Free at-⁠home COVID-⁠19 Tests Samples Now Available

Every home in the U.S. can soon order 4 free at-⁠home COVID-⁠19 tests. The tests will be completely free—there are no shipping costs and you don’t need to enter a credit card number.

Go over to www.covidtests.gov to get your free rapid test samples!