Thursday is last day to get COVID-19 tests covered by insurance
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With the pandemic public health emergency ending Thursday, time is quickly running out for most people to get COVID-19 tests covered by insurance.
Why it matters: The end of the federal government’s health emergency that began in March 2020 will shift who pays for the testing kits and some COVID-19 treatments.
- The White House announced in late January that it would end the public health emergency and national health emergency designations in May, which sets off policy changes.
- President Biden signed a GOP-led resolution into law on April 10 to end the COVID national emergency early.
- The date to end the public health emergency is set for May 11.
Zoom in: Here is what you need to know about how the end of the public health emergency may affect you.
COVID at-home tests from insurance
Americans with health insurance have been able to get up to eight at-home tests a month for free since January 2022.
- Private health plans have been required to cover the over-the-counter tests at up to $12 a test.
- Consumers can either purchase the testing kits at no cost at participating stores and pharmacies as well as online or submit receipts for reimbursement from the insurance company.
- State Medicaid programs must provide coverage without cost sharing for COVID-19 testing until Sept. 30, 2024.
- PCR and rapid tests ordered or administered by a health professional may also come at a cost.
Yes, but: Private health insurance plans can choose to continue to cover the tests, which HHS said it encourages.
- Many plans including UnitedHealthcare, Cigna and Aetna have said on their websites that May 11 is the last day for coverage for most plans “unless mandated by state regulatory requirements.”
- California extended the requirements on health plans for testing, vaccines and treatment by six months through Nov. 11, 2023 "with no prior authorization or enrollee cost sharing."
Meanwhile, there's a concern the market for tests will dissipate, especially if consumers don't want to spend money on tests, Axios’ Tina Reed and Arielle Dreher report.
- From April to September 2022, 3.5 million Medicare beneficiaries received more than 30 million at-home COVID tests, an analysis from McDermott+Consulting shows. (Medicare is also ending coverage of the tests).
- An April 2023 survey from the Testing at Home Coalition found that 7 out of 10 seniors will stop using at-home tests when Medicare stops covering them.
COVID vaccine and boosters
COVID-19 vaccines, including boosters, will remain free with public and private insurance in most cases, per the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF).
- Medicaid will continue to cover all COVID-19 vaccinations without a co-pay or cost-sharing through Sept. 30, 2024.
- The government announced the $1.1 billion “HHS Bridge Access Program For COVID-19 Vaccines and Treatments Program” on April 18 to “maintain broad access to COVID-19 vaccines for millions of uninsured Americans.”
What they’re saying: “When this transition to traditional health care coverage occurs later this year, many Americans will continue to pay nothing out-of-pocket for the COVID-19 vaccine,” the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services said in a Feb. 9 fact sheet.
Paxlovid and other COVID-19 treatment costs
Some Americans may have out-of-pocket expenses for treatments like Paxlovid and Lagevrio “after these products move to traditional health care models,” HHS said in an April 18 fact sheet.
- It will depend on a person’s health care coverage.
- “These expenses will be similar to costs one may incur for other drugs and treatments through traditional coverage,” HHS notes.
Free COVID tests from government
The White House relaunched its COVID-19 home testing program in December after suspending the program in September.
- Households can order four free at-home tests with free shipping at COVID.gov/tests for a limited time.
- There's a limit of one order per residential address and "addresses are eligible if your last order was before Dec. 15, 2022," the site notes.
- It is unknown when the program may be suspended again.
The government said in a fact sheet that “dependent on supply and resources” it “may continue to distribute free COVID-19 tests from the Strategic National Stockpile through the United States Postal Service, states, and other community partners.”
COVID test expiration date extension
The Food & Drug Administration has extended the expiration dates for several over-the-counter COVID tests adding several months to the “use by” date.
- Check the FDA's website for a full list of approved COVID-19 tests and their revised expiration dates.
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