Federal Government Makes Available Free OTC COVID-19 Test Kits
COVID-19 home test kits are once again available free of charge to all U.S. households. Each household may order up to four free test kits, and they will be delivered at no cost by the U.S. Postal Service.
Employer Action Items
In preparation for an anticipated uptick in the number of COVID-19 cases this fall and winter season, employers should consider informing their employees of the availability of free testing kits and how to obtain them.
Summary
On September 20, the Biden Administration announced that it is reviving a program to mail free COVID-19 rapid home testing kits to those U.S. households that place an order for them at www.COVIDTests.gov, beginning Monday, September 25. Officials have indicated that the tests are able to detect the latest variants and are intended to be used through the end of 2023.
As you may recall, when the public health emergency ended earlier this year, large insurance companies were no longer required to reimburse the costs of home testing kits and as a result, most health plans have ceased making these kits available free of charge. The Biden Administration stopped mailing free tests back in June of this year.
In conjunction with this announcement, the Department of Health and Human Services also indicated that it was awarding $600 million to various COVID-19 testing manufacturers with the hope that it would strengthen domestic manufacturing capacity and provide the U.S. government with 200 million over-the-counter testing kits for future use.
More Information
For additional information, visit www.COVIDTests.gov. For questions regarding this Alert or any other related compliance issues, please contact your client experience team.
