Medicare is now paying for at-home Covid-19 tests from retailers

By Tami Luhby, CNN

    (CNN) — Medicare enrollees can now acquire dwelling Covid-19 checks from sure pharmacies and companies at no expense, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Companies declared Monday.

The go comes additional than two months after the Biden administration commenced requiring overall health insurers to include the value of residence exams for most Individuals with personal insurance coverage.

Medicare was not at first included in the directive, sparking an outcry from seniors and persons with disabilities. A lot more than 59 million Individuals are enrolled in Medicare.

The delay stemmed from the simple fact that classic Medicare had in no way coated about-the-counter assessments just before. CMS declared in February that it would insert a new payment application so it could develop reimbursement to Medicare enrollees starting in the early spring.

“This is all aspect of our overall strategy to ramp-up access to straightforward-to-use, at-home checks no cost of cost,” Health and fitness and Human Providers Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a assertion.

Up to eight exams a month

Less than the initiative, Medicare enrollees can obtain up to 8 dwelling checks a thirty day period at no charge from collaborating pharmacies and suppliers, which Medicare will reimburse immediately.

Individuals in Medicare Advantage strategies may perhaps need to have to clearly show their federal Medicare cards to acquire the no cost assessments, which are being lined by Medicare Component B, not health and fitness insurers. Some Medicare Gain designs could deal with Covid-19 exams as a separate benefit.

Countrywide pharmacy chains that are taking part include: Albertsons, Costco, CVS, Meals Lion, Giant Meals, Hannaford, H-E-B, Hy-Vee, Kroger, Rite Assist, Shop & Stop, Walgreens and Walmart.

Enrollees can also check out with their neighborhood pharmacies or companies to see if they are taking part or simply call 1-800-MEDICARE to discover destinations.

The coverage will past right up until the public health and fitness unexpected emergency ends. It is presently established to expire in mid-April but is expected to be renewed for at least another a few months.

Other tests solutions

Medicare enrollees, like all Us citizens, can request two absolutely free sets of 4 at-dwelling Covid-19 checks from the federal authorities through Covidtests.gov.

They also have access to no-value tests by health care suppliers at a lot more than 20,000 tests internet sites.

And Medicare enrollees can get assessments performed at a laboratory at no cost when purchased by a health practitioner, pharmacist or other health care service provider.

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