Good News!
Medicare covers up to 8 over-the-counter COVID-19 tests per month, at no cost to you!
- This coverage lasts until the public health emergency ends.
- Medicare Part B covers these tests. So if you have Part B, you’re all set.
- If you’re in a Medicare Advantage plan, you won’t get these through your plan. You can get them at any participating pharmacy or provider. See Medicare’s partial list of participating pharmacies.
- You will probably need to show the pharmacy or provider your Medicare card to order the free OTC COVID-19 tests.
You can get these tests from any participating pharmacy or health care provider at no cost to you, even if you are not a regular customer or patient.
See Medicare’s partial list of participating pharmacies to find one near you.
Bad News…Watch for Scammers Trying to Steal Your Medicare Number
Scammers look for easy ways to get your Medicare number. And, some are using Medicare’s coverage of eight OTC COVID-19 tests a month to do just that!
If someone calls you or approaches you asking for your Medicare number in exchange for sending you eight OTC COVID-19 tests/month, hang up. It is probably a scam.
It’s safest to contact your pharmacy or health care provider yourself to order the free tests. And you can always use Medicare’s partial list of participating pharmacies to be safe.
Remember to treat your Medicare card as you would your credit card. And check your Medicare Summary Notices (MSNs) for any billing errors or items/services you were charged for that you never received. Also, read the Federal Trade Commission’s recent alert on this issue.
Report any suspected Medicare fraud to our California Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) at 1-855-613-7080.
Working together we can Prevent, Detect and Report Medicare Fraud!
