Medicare Now Covers Over-the-Counter (OTC) COVID-19 Testing Kits

April 13, 2022

On April 4, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced that beneficiaries with Medicare Part B, including those enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans, now have access to FDA‑approved COVID-19 tests at no cost.

How it works:

• Medicare members may be asked to present their red, white and blue Medicare ID card to get their free OTC COVID-19 tests.
• Each person with Medicare Part B can get up to eight free OTC tests per month, until the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.

The announcement also lists participating pharmacies.