Starting Saturday, January 15th, most individuals health insurance providers will be required to cover up to 8 at home COVID-19 tests per month, at no cost to the individual. A family of 4 could receive up to 32 tests per month. The tests must be FDA approved and available over-the-counter. Tests will be available either:
- For no-cost up front at locations designated by insurance providers (pharmacies, retailers, etc)
- For reimbursement after purchase, with a reimbursement amount up to $12/test
Insurance carriers that do not set up designated locations for no-cost tests will be required to pay the full reimbursement price, even if it exceeds the $12 threshold. This requirement will incentivize providers to focus on designating locations for no-cost pickup.
This is a recent ruling and providers have not had much time to set up distribution and supply chains, so it is anticipated that there may be some initial hiccups. Make sure that you are saving any COVID-19 self-test receipts starting Saturday, January 15th.
Should you have questions on where to obtain tests, we recommend reaching out to your personal health insurance provider. GSRMA will continue to monitor this ruling and will update members as we learn more. Please reach out to our Member Services Department if you would like to discuss this ruling.