Medicare to cover at-home COVID tests

State of play: Medicare beneficiaries will be able to get up to eight over-the-counter, at-home COVID-19 tests each month for free.

• CMS "anticipates that this option will be available to people with Medicare in the early spring," according to a press release.

What they're saying: "This is the first time that Medicare has covered an over-the-counter test at no cost to beneficiaries," CMS said.

• "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."