Medicare to cover at-home COVID-19 tests

Medicare will begin covering over-the-counter COVID-19 tests by early spring, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced Thursday.

Fee-for-service Medicare and Medicare Advantage enrollees will be able to get up to eight at-home COVID-19 tests per month.

"This is the first time that Medicare has covered an over-the-counter test at no cost to beneficiaries. There are a number of issues that have made it difficult to cover and pay for over-the-counter COVID-19 tests. However, given the importance of expanding access to testing, CMS has identified a pathway that will expand access to free over-the-counter testing for Medicare beneficiaries," a CMS news release says.

Tests will be available at pharmacies and other sellers, according to the agency. Medicare will pay participating providers for dispensing test kits.

CMS didn't announce the program's start date and wouldn't provide detailed information about how Medicare beneficiaries can obtain free tests, what pharmacies are participating or whether other over-the-counter products will be covered.

President Joe Biden has been under pressure from Capitol Hill and advocates for older Americans to rectify the fact that people on Medicare had scant access to at-home COVID-19 tests without paying for them. Some Medicare Advantage plans covered at-home COVID-19 tests but Medicare in general does not pay for over-the-counter health products.

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Most of the population already could receive no-cost at-home tests, but not Medicare beneficiaries. The American Rescue Plan Act makes tests available to Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program enrollees at no charge and private insurers are required to cover them under a separate executive action.

Biden also created a program to distribute up to 1 billion free tests to U.S. households via the postal service. Medicare enrollees are eligible for free tests through this program.

The lack of Medicare coverage, however, left out 64 million Medicare beneficiaries, who are categorically more vulnerable to the novel coronavirus by virtue of being older or having disabilities.

"People 65 and older are at much greater risk of serious illness and death from this disease—they need equal access to tools that can help keep them safe," AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer Nancy LeaMond said in a news release. "The cost of paying for tests and the time needed to find free testing options are barriers that could discourage Medicare beneficiaries from getting tested, leading to greater social isolation and continued spread of the virus."

This article has been updated with comments from the AARP.