The Government of the President of the United States, Joe Biden, ordered private insurers to cover eight covid-19 home tests per month per person for free starting next January 15, the White House reported Monday.
According to a statement, thanks to this measure, those individuals with private health insurance or a group policy who acquire a rapid test for covid-19, authorized by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), will have the total cost of the test covered.
The Government explained that companies must cover eight rapid tests per month per person. A family of four under the same policy should have access to 32 free home covid tests.
The White House added that the limit of eight would not exist for those individuals who take the test under a medical prescription, so they can take all the tests they need as long as their doctor asks them.
The Executive explained that the measure is part of expanding access to rapid tests in the country.
Any insured person will be able to buy a covid home test from Saturday, either online or in pharmacies or establishments authorized to sell them, and receive the amount of its cost either in advance or later from their insurer.
In that sense, the Biden Administration stated that it is encouraging insurance companies to allow people to purchase the tests in a series of pharmacies and specific establishments so that they do not have to make the disbursement out of their own pocket money from the insurer.
The White House indicated that in this case, the companies would cover the cost of the home tests in advance, saving consumers the hassle of later having to request a refund.
Suppose the person prefers to acquire the test in a pharmacy or establishment other than the one chosen by the insurer. In that case, the Government establishes that the company must reimburse the amount of the trial, which cannot exceed 12 dollars.
The Government recalled that, beyond private insurers, it has required that state Medicaid programs, which offer health coverage to the poorest, and the Children's Health Insurance (CHIP) cover home tests without requiring a copayment.
Biden announced last December that it was purchasing 500 million covid-19 home tests, reinforcing staff in hospitals, and expanding vaccination sites as part of a strategy to contain the impact of the omicron variant.
These tests, which will be free, can be requested online through a website that will be enabled by the Executive and on which details will be offered later this week, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said on Monday in her conference. Daily press.
Psaki also added that they hope the Americans will start requesting these tests online later this month.