While Private Insurers Must Cover Rapid COVID-19 Tests, Medicare Does Not

On January 15, the White House announced that private health insurance companies will be required to cover the cost of eight rapid at-home COVID-19 tests per month. However, Medicare, the insurance program that covers adults ages 65 and older in the United States, is not required to reimburse for these tests. It turns out that the regulations governing Medicare do not allow for the coverage of any type of self-diagnostic testing. Currently, those covered by Medicare can get a rapid antigen or PCR test conducted by a lab but only once per year unless they have a prescription from a physician. Click here to read more.