Staying Fit
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Medicare's 64 million beneficiaries can now get free over-the-counter COVID-19 tests from pharmacies and other stores that participate in the program.
Medicare enrollees in Part B can receive up to eight at-home tests per month, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on Feb. 3. Medicare will pay eligible pharmacies and other participating locations directly, so beneficiaries will not have to pay anything up front for the tests.
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This new program applies both to people with original Medicare and to those who are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan. MA plans had already been authorized to offer the over-the-counter COVID-19 tests at no charge as a supplemental benefit. Medicare will cover only over-the-counter tests approved or authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Medicare beneficiaries originally left out
When the White House first announced in January its plan to require insurers to pay for at-home tests, it did not include coverage for Medicare beneficiaries. AARP and other advocates pushed back strongly, saying that America's older adults, who are most vulnerable to the coronavirus, need to have these tests available to them at no charge. This will be the first time that Medicare will cover any over-the-counter products at no cost to beneficiaries.
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