Each insurer is required to reimburse up to 8 at home, or over the counter (OTC) COVID tests per person on the plan in your household every month. Each Insurance company has a different method for how to get your money back, but the process is fairly universal:
Keep your receipt and submit a claim to your health plan for reimbursement. You can find out directly from your plan how to submit reimbursement claims. They are not allowed to design their reimbursement process in a way that unduly delays your reimbursement. You will not need a prescription or a note from your provider.
Most health plans require that you log into your policy via the web, submit a picture of the receipt (including date) as well as the UPC (barcode) on the box of the test. If the box has two tests in it, both will be reimbursed.
How many tests can I get reimbursed for?
Health plans must cover 8 individual at-home over-the-counter COVID-19 tests per person enrolled in the plan per month. That means a family of four can get 32 tests per month for free.
Note: tests may be packaged individually or with multiple tests in one package (for example, two tests packaged in one box). Plans are required to cover 8 tests per covered individual per month, regardless of how they are packaged and distributed.
How long will it take to receive test reimbursements?
“Health plans are encouraged to provide prompt reimbursement for claims for at-home tests, and consumers can find out directly from their plan how their claims process works and ask questions about reimbursement timing,” the government FAQ said.
Will Medicare pay for home COVID tests?
Americans on Medicare won’t be able to get at-home tests reimbursed through the federal insurance plan, but some Medicare Advantage Plans may cover and pay for over-the-counter coronavirus tests. The Medicare website says to check with your Advantage Plan to see if it will cover and pay for the tests.
Will Medicaid and other government plans cover the tests?
As part of the American Rescue Plan, state Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program programs are required to cover FDA-authorized at-home coronavirus tests. Coverage rules may vary by state, the federal government said.
Your plan is required to provide reimbursement for 8 tests per month for each individual on the plan, regardless of whether the tests are bought all at once or at separate times throughout the month.