Biden Plan Will Reimburse At-Home COVID-19 Testing

By Sam Brusco, Associate Editor | 12.07.21

Health insurers must cover 100 percent of the cost of at-home COVID tests.

On Dec. 2, President Biden announced new actions to fight COVID-19 as the U.S. approaches the winter months and with the Omicron variant making an emergence. In addition to revealing programs to boost vaccination, public health protocols, treatment pills, rapid response, and school and workplace protection, the initiative aims to expand free home testing.
 
The over 150 million Americans with private health insurance will be able to get home tests reimbursed. For those without private insurance, at-home tests will be distributed through community sites like health centers and rural clinics. The White House pledged to quadruple rapid home test supply of late summer.
 
By January 15, guidance will be issued for those purchasing OTC COVID-19 diagnostic tests to seek reimbursement from a group health plan or health insurance issuer and have it cover the cost during the public health crisis. This follows the President’s September direction of over $2 billion to accelerate rapid test production and additional $1 billion investment for procuring home tests. Over that period, the FDA also authorized five additional OTC tests.
 
"We think this is the right policy," deputy White House COVID-19 response coordinator Natalie Quillian told NPR. "We also think it's the most economical policy, because the cost of an individual getting COVID and going to the hospital and seeking those bills is much higher than the cost of any rapid home test."
 
Equitable access to free at-home tests for uninsured and underserved communities will be spurred through a doubling of September’s commitment of 25 million free tests to community sites to 50 million tests and adding rural clinics to the program.
 
"The bottom line is we are really pulling out all the stops to get Americans the maximum protection as we head into the winter months and as we face this new [Omicron] variant," said Quillian.