When the COVID-19 public health emergency expires at the end of the day on May 11, many pandemic-era rules and programs will end. Among them is the guarantee that Medicare and private insurers will cover the costs of up to eight at-home COVID-19 tests per person each month, a policy that has been in place since 2022 and helped fuel a rise in at-home diagnoses.
Without a federal requirement, most health insurers are free to make their own decisions about whether to reimburse some or all at-home testing costs moving forward. That means, depending on insurance coverage, some Americans may still be able to get tests for free, while others will have to pay retail prices of roughly $10 per test (or around $20 per box of two, which is how many are sold).
Here’s how some major insurers are planning to handle the end of the public health emergency:
Even if your health insurer stops covering at-home tests, you may be able to purchase them using funds from a health savings account or flexible spending account. You may also be able to get free kits at your library, health department, or through another community group. And the federal government is still sending free kits to families who have not already claimed their allotted swabs.
Rapid and PCR testing will continue to be available in pharmacies and doctor’s offices, but consumers may be responsible for some or all of the costs, depending on their insurance.
The surest way to get free tests? Stock up through your insurance plan before May 12.
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Write to Jamie Ducharme at jamie.ducharme@time.com