Starting this spring, Medicare beneficiaries can get coverage for eight at-home COVID-19 tests a month, the Biden administration announced Thursday.
The announcement from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services applies to both beneficiaries in traditional and Medicare Advantage plans. It comes after lawmakers questioned why Medicare won’t cover at-home COVID-19 tests as a requirement for commercial insurers to reimburse consumers for the diagnostics went into effect last month.
“This is the first time that Medicare has covered an over-the-counter test at no cost to beneficiaries,” said CMS in a release Thursday. “There are a number of issues that have made it difficult to cover and pay for over-the-counter COVID-19 tests.”
The initiative won’t go into effect until early spring. At that time, Medicare beneficiaries can pick up the at-home tests at no cost at participating pharmacies and other entities.
CMS added that some Medicare Advantage plans may already offer coverage for at-home COVID-19 tests as a supplemental benefit. All beneficiaries in Medicare Part B will be eligible for the new benefit whether they are in an MA plan or not, the agency said.
The agency urged beneficiaries to get free over-the-counter tests via covidtests.gov until the initiative goes into effect.
CMS’ announcement comes a little over one week after a group of Democratic senators wrote to the agency asking for Medicare to cover the tests. The senators said that seniors are particularly at risk of COVID-19 and the tests are essential.