Free Covid Tests From Medicare – It’s been a long time since COVID started spreading in the United States. Most governments around the world, including the federal government of the United States, are yet to figure out how to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Researchers have provided some data mentioning that COVID tests and the use of face masks are among the most effective ways to contain the spread of the virus. The federal government of the United States has already reacted to that study and made sure that insured Americans are getting enough COVID tests every month to contain the spread and ensure the safety of their loved ones.
Last year, the federal government of the United States directed every health insurance provider in the country to provide reimbursements for at least 8 COVID tests to every health insurance policyholder in the country.
Medicare is no different than any other health insurance provider in the country. Despite being a government-initiated program, Medicare is also liable to provide all benefits, just like any other health insurance provider in the country. That is why we are here to help you understand how you can get free COVID tests from Medicare.
All about The Free Covid Tests From Medicare
The federal government of the United States announced last year that every health insurance provider in the country will also have to provide at least 8 over-the-counter COVID test kits each calendar month to every beneficiary in the health insurance policy.
The decision to a free COVID test scheme after the Centers for Disease Control and prevention of the United States released several reports mentioning that COVID tests, along with face masks and social distancing, are much more capable of preventing the infection in the first place than any other thing.
The federal government of the United States was under huge pressure due to rising cases of COVID-19, and it gave the golden opportunity to the federal government to contain the spread of the virus.
Along with the free COVID tests from Medicare and private health insurance providers, the federal government of the United States also initiated several programs where Americans were eligible to get free COVID tests.
We will talk about those programs in some other discussion. Till then, let’s take a look at how you can avail free COVID tests from Medicare.
How to avail of Free Covid Tests From Medicare?
Well, you might not be in favor of Medicare or the federal government of the United States, but you will have to appreciate that the federal government has provided a wide range of options when it comes to availing free COVID tests from medical providers.
The official website of Medicare has provided a wide range of participating eligible pharmacies and healthcare providers where Medicare holders can get at-home COVID tests without any cost.
Even though there is a wide list of participants when it comes to getting free COVID test kits from Medicare, we have provided a small list of the most popular options throughout the whole nation.
- Costco pharmacy
- CVS pharmacy
- Kroger family and pharmacy
- Rite aid pharmacy
- Super health pharmacy
- Walgreens pharmacy
- Walmart
These are some of the most common options for getting free COVID tests. Medicare suggests several scams are happening, and you should not share any of your personal or financial information with someone promising to deliver free at-home COVID tests to your doorstep.
Your nearby pharmacy might be able to help you, but you should not give any information to an unknown person.
What is the Eligibility to Get Free Covid Tests from Medicare?
Similar to any other government scheme in the United States, Medicare also has specific eligibility criteria when it comes to free over-the-counter COVID test kits.
You don’t have to pay anything for diagnostic tests during COVID-19 if you fall within the eligibility criteria. You can visit any of the nearby laboratories, pharmacies, or hospitals to get this coverage.
- Every eligible Medicare policyholder can get up to 8 counter COVID tests each calendar month without any cost from nearby pharmacies.
- These tests are not available for life, and They are only available till the government has announced a public health emergency.
- Free COVID test from Medicare is only available in Part B. If you have any other Medicare, then you are not eligible to get these free tests.
- You might be able to get free COVID test kits through some other program.
These are some of the things you have to keep in mind when it comes to eligibility criteria to receive free COVID test kits from Medicare.
You will have to present your red, white, and blue Medicare card before you get free over-the-counter test kits from nearby partnered pharmacies. The partnered pharmacy representative will also confirm that you fall in the eligibility criteria.
If you do not fall in the eligibility criteria, the representative holds the right to reject your request for free COVID tests.
How Many Free Covid Tests From Medicare in a Month?
Medicare is a unique initiative of the federal government of the United States, which is not like any other health insurance plan, but it provides all the benefits.
There is a huge difference between Medicare and private health insurance plans. The government has set eligibility criteria, and not every person in the United States is eligible to enroll in the Medicare plan.
In any other private health insurance plan, the applicant, over the main beneficiary, can add their dependents and family members to its health insurance by paying a higher premium.
But, the situation in Medicare is different. It is a government plan which requires every beneficiary to qualify on its own.
Medicare is an individual health insurance plan. Every person in the family will have to qualify according to the eligibility criteria to get the benefits.
If you or anyone in your family is eligible to receive the benefits of Medicare, it does not allow the whole family to receive the benefits.
As per the federal government of the United States, “Every health insurance provider in the country is liable to provide at least 8 rapid antigen COVID test kits to each policyholder every month.”
That statement indicates that every person in the United States who holds a health insurance plan is eligible to receive reimbursements from their health insurance provider for at least eight rapid antigen tests.
As you are already aware, Medicare is an individual plan, and the federal government directed eight rapid antigen tests to each policyholder, not the family.
It means that every Medicare holder is eligible to receive eight rapid antigen test kits every month without paying any money.
If you hold a Medicare plan, and your spouse is not eligible for that, it means that you are allowed to receive eight rapid antigen test kits, and your spouse will not get any.
How to Test at Home with the Rapid Covid Test?
Before we wrap up our session, let’s take a quick look at the whole process so that you can test at home with a rapid antigen test.
We also agree that it is a little bit hard to test yourself on your own using rapid antigen test kits. Rapid antigen test kits are known to have low accuracy. Health experts believe that these tests have an accuracy of just 84%.
Any mistake while taking at-home COVID test kits can lower the accuracy to zero. You must make sure that you are following all the guidelines of the test carefully. If possible, you can test yourself multiple times to get accurate results.
Every COVID test manufacturer writes the instructions to take the test on the back of the packing. Those instructions can be a little bit different according to different COVID tests.
- First of all, you should make sure you are reading all the instructions very carefully written on the back of the test.
- If you are not comfortable reading all the instructions, you can also ask the same from the pharmacy representative.
- The testing process is a little bit complicated, and you should not make any mistakes, or there is the probability that you will get the wrong results.
Can I get free COVID test kits from Medicare for the past months?
No, you cannot get free Covid test kits from Medicare for the past months. If you did not receive your free COVID test kits from Medicare last month, there is no way to get those test kits.
