Medicare beneficiaries to get no-cost at-home Covid-19 tests

People with Medicare will be able to obtain up to eight over-the-counter Covid-19 tests a month for free starting in early spring, the Biden administration said Thursday.

Under the plan, Medicare will directly pay certain pharmacies and other participating entities, allowing people with Medicare or Medicare Advantage to pick up the tests for free.

“There are a number of issues that have made it difficult to cover and pay for over-the-counter Covid-19 tests,” the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said in a statement. “However, given the importance of expanding access to testing, CMS has identified a pathway that will expand access to free over-the-counter testing for Medicare beneficiaries.”

Last month, a senior CMS official told POLITICO that the agency had been working since December to find a workaround so Medicare would cover rapid tests, something the agency had not allowed. The administration came under scrutiny after it rolled out Covid test reimbursements for private insurance holders without similar coverage for those with Medicare, who represent some of the nation’s most vulnerable populations to Covid-19.