With the release of free-by-mail & insurance-covered over-the-counter COVID-19 tests, the question is: When is the best time to use your COVID-19 kits?
Update February 3, 2022: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced that in early Spring 2022, people with Medicare will be able to access free over-the-counter COVID-19 tests each month through Medicare. More information will be available in early spring.
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January 24, 2022
In late 2021, the Biden administration announced a pandemic priority for this winter: Getting more over-the-counter (OTC) COVID-19 tests on the market and available at price points accessible to all. The President also made specific promises:
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Private health insurance would soon begin covering the cost of those tests.
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The government would also purchase tests and make them available for free to all Americans.
That time has arrived!
Private Health Insurance Now Covers OTC COVID-19 Tests
Beginning January 15, private health insurance companies and group health plans are required to cover eight FDA authorized OTC at-home tests per enrolled individual per month. Whether (and where) the cost of these tests will be covered up front will be detailed by your particular insurer. In some cases, you may have to pay for the test and submit receipts to your insurer for reimbursement.
Free Rapid COVID-19 Tests Will Be Mailed to Americans
The Biden administration is buying one billion tests to give away for free. Half of this supply will be available starting January 19, when Americans can order four tests per household online at COVIDTests.gov, and those tests are expected to ship within seven to 12 days of your order.
No matter how you get your tests, we’re here with the When to Test Calculator for Individuals to help you decide when to put these tests into action.
Should I Test Today?
In less than a minute, the When to Test Calculator for Individuals can provide helpful information about your relative risk of getting COVID-19 — and your risk of spreading it to other people — based on critical bits of information you provide.
The Calculator accounts for increased prevalence of the Omicron variant, so even if you’ve visited the Calculator before, we encourage you to try it again today. And visit again any time you’re considering whether you may need to test.
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