Insurance companies and group health plans must cover the cost of over-the-counter, at-home rapid COVID-19 tests for people with private health coverage, starting Jan. 15, the Biden administration announced Monday.
“The new coverage requirement means that most consumers with private health coverage can go online or to a pharmacy or store, buy a test, and either get it paid for up front by their health plan, or get reimbursed for the cost by submitting a claim to their plan,” reads a statement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). “This requirement incentivizes insurers to cover these costs up front and ensures individuals do not need an order from their health care provider to access these tests for free.”
