Public Health Emergency Ends May 11 – So Does Medicare’s Coverage Of OTC COVID Tests

California Health Advocates > COVID-19 > Public Health Emergency Ends May 11 – So Does Medicare’s Coverage Of OTC COVID Tests

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Karen Fletcher

May 2, 2023

public health emergency, covid-19, covid-19 at home tests

The public health emergency due to COVID-19 is set to end May 11, 2023. And with that so will Medicare’s coverage of over-the-counter COVID-19 tests. Currently, and before May 11th, Medicare covers up to eight over-the-counter (OTC) tests per month with no out of pocket costs. OTC tests are available at most pharmacies.

After May 11, Medicare will continue to cover laboratory tests for COVID-19 that are ordered by your provider at no cost, but will no longer cover any OTC COVID-19 tests. If you are in a Medicare Advantage plan, check with your plan benefits to see whether or not they are still covered.

For more information, see the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services consumer fact sheet, Coverage for COVID-19 Tests in English and Spanish.

Karen Joy Fletcher

Our blogger Karen Joy Fletcher is CHA’s Communications Director. With a Masters in Public Health from UC Berkeley, she is the online “public face” of the organization, provides technical expertise, writing and research on Medicare and other health care issues. She is responsible for digital content creation, management of CHA’s editorial calendar, and managing all aspects of CHA’s social media presence. She loves being a “communicator” and enjoys networking and collaborating with the passionate people and agencies in the health advocacy field. See her current articles.

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