If you have Medicare Part B coverage, or are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan, you now have access to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved, authorized, or cleared over-the-counter COVID-19 tests at no cost. You may receive up to eight tests each month from participating pharmacies and healthcare providers until the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency. These tests are in addition to the two sets of four free at-home COVID-19 tests you can continue to order from covidtests.gov.
“For the first time in its history, Medicare is paying for an over-the-counter test,” said Deputy Administrator Dr. Meena Seshamani, Director of the Center for Medicare at CMS. “This is because COVID-19 testing is a critical part of our pandemic response.” National pharmacy chains participating in this initiative include: Albertsons, Costco Pharmacy, CVS, Food Lion, Giant Food, The Giant Company, Hannaford Pharmacies, H-E-B Pharmacy, Hy-Vee Pharmacy, Kroger Family of Pharmacies, Rite Aid, Stop & Shop, Walgreens, and Walmart.
A list of pharmacies and other health care providers that are participating in this initiative can be found here. This link leads to a list of participating facilities with contact information and the ways in which to order your testing kits (i.e., via in-person, phone, and/or online). Because additional eligible pharmacies and healthcare providers may also participate, you should check with your regular pharmacy or healthcare provider to find out whether they are participating in this initiative.
If your pharmacy is not listed in the above link, you can:
- Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to find access to free tests
- Check with your pharmacy or healthcare provider to see if they are participating and will bill Medicare on your behalf
If you have questions about this initiative, please contact NIHB Policy Analyst, Hannah Brennan at [email protected].