Question: Free covid tests and Medicare.

[DURHAM D]

As best I can figure out Medicare does not pay for the "free" covid tests you can order online starting now.

Is that true?

Is there a way to order these tests, pay for them, and have them shipped to your house ?

[WhiskeyGrinder]

1. The USPS link that's going around will get you four tests per address in a couple weeks.

It doesn't ask for health insurance information. It's a straight-to-consumer delivery: https://special.usps.com/testkits

The link that goes live tomorrow? As I understand it, Medicare does not pay for those.

[DURHAM D]

3. I dont see how this can work.

Everything I have read says private insurance pays for the tests, not the government.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

6. This is a different program than the one Biden has been talking about with insurance reimbursements.

[DURHAM D]

9. Oh.

I am even more confused.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

11. The government is making it possible for every household to request four at-home tests for free.

Use either one of these sites:
https://special.usps.com/testkits (the USPS is delivering them)
https://www.covidtests.gov/ (the White House is hyping this site).

In the meantime, if you buy tests, your insurance is supposed to reimburse you for it, unless you're on Medicare. Then you're SOL.

[Yonnie3]

8. That is outdated information.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/01/14/fact-sheet-the-biden-administration-to-begin-distributing-at-home-rapid-covid-19-tests-to-americans-for-free/

Fact Sheet: The Biden Administration to Begin Distributing At-Home, Rapid COVID-⁠19 Tests to Americans for Free
January 14, 2022
• Statements and Releases

The Biden Administration is Buying One Billion Tests to Give to Americans for Free; Online Ordering of a Half-Billion Tests Begins on January 19th; Builds on Significant Actions to Expand Testing Capacity and Increase Access to Free Testing

-----snip-----

[DURHAM D]

13. So that article says private insurance companies will be paying for the tests. nt

[Yonnie3]

16. Huh? No.

The tests that I ordered are free from the Federal Government. You must order them from the USPS website. Read the link:

The Biden Administration is Buying One Billion Tests to Give to Americans for Free; Online Ordering of a Half-Billion Tests Begins on January 19th; Builds on Significant Actions to Expand Testing Capacity and Increase Access to Free Testing

Getting tests from other providers have other rules.

[Ms. Toad]

2. Why would you want to? n/t

[KarenS]

4. I think if you go buy some, your health insurance covers them but Medicare won't,,,,, n/t

[Yonnie3]

5. We just ordered some.

The was a $0 balance on the order. There is nothing to pay.

These are home tests that give results at home.

[DURHAM D]

7. Did you provide any insurance info? nt

[Yonnie3]

10. no ... please see my later post with the announcement

Number 8 up the page

[DURHAM D]

14. That article is confusing.

[Ms. Toad]

18. Just go to the website and order them.

They do not ask for any insurance information.

The tests are per-household, not per person. Since insurance is tied to the person, not the household there is no way they could bill insurance even if they wanted to.

This is a stupid program. Tests take weeks to arrive and are limited to 4 per address (regardless of whether it is a household of 1 or 15). And, as currently set up it is a one and done thing. But I guess since Medicare doesn't cover home tests, it is at least useful for people on Medicare who do not live in states which distribute free tests through the public health department or libraries.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

19. .

This is a stupid program.

You're not wrong.

[Ms. Toad]

20. Registering to have free tests sent out weekly per person

would be a much more useful program.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

21. Yep. This excludes so many people and requires a lot of house holds to ration, leading to

ineffective testing, as well as possible trauma within the family. It's a mess.

[MiniMe]

12. The website launched a day early

saw that on facebook. I just ordered my 4 tests, and it just asked for name and address, no other information was requested.

[MiniMe]

15. The website launched a day early

saw that on facebook. I just ordered my 4 tests, and it just asked for name and address, no other information was requested. And it asked for an email address. I just got a confirmation of the order.

[rsdsharp]

17. Go to the USPS link

They ask for your name
They ask for your email address
They ask for your home address
You double check the information
They confirm the order
It will ship late this month
The whole thing takes two minutes if you type slow

This is not complicated.

[crickets]

22. K&R for the post and the discussion.

Just went to https://special.usps.com/testkits and placed an order. It involved my name, email address, and home mailing address. That's it. It took seconds and cost nothing. Thanks for asking questions, DURHAM D. There was a lot of useful information in the responses, and it made me take action early on, which is a good thing.