How to Get Your Free At Home Covid Tests
The CDC suggests you get tested for Copvid-19 if you develop symptoms such as fever, cough, or have difficulty breathing. You should also get tested if have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19 or have recently traveled from an area with ongoing spread of COVID-19.
At-home Covid tests are the quickest and easiest way to get tested. These rapid tests are pretty good at correctly detecting infection in people with symptoms, with a 75% to 90% range of accuracy.
These tests are not cheap, and prices have been going up during this latest surge in Omicron cases. But thankfully these home Covid tests are now covered by private insurance companies and group health plans.
Since January 15, the White House requires them to cover over-the-counter COVID-19 diagnostic test authorized, cleared, or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration .Insurance companies will cover 8 free over-the-counter at-home tests per covered individual per month. That means a family of four, all on the same plan, would be able to get up to 32 of these tests covered by their health plan per month.
There is no limit on the number of tests, including at-home tests, that are covered if ordered or administered by a doctor of health care provider. To know if a test is eligible, check here for a searchable list of approved rapid antigen-based tests and here for molecular-based (PCR) tests.
Free At Home Covid Tests
The government is giving every household 4 free tests, which you can now order from USPS. Additionally, you can buy them online or in-store at many locations around the country. You then file a claim with your insurance to get reimbursement. This could soon be done automatically at the point of sale.
Here’s where you can get your at-home Covid tests:
Some of these tests could go in and out of stock. So if they’re not available right now, check back later to see if they’re available for sale.
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Thank you so much for the lists & updated info. The USPS site wasn’t supposed to be live til tomorrow so am happy to grab some freebies before they likely “sell out” tomorrow!
CDC is saying a positive test, stay home, but a negative test doesn’t mean you’re not contagious.