No more free government covid tests

[Williamsburgcruiser]

Went out to order the free tests from the government, to potentially use for our October cruise, and got this:

 

 

Figured I'd share.

[mets123]

It was very well advertised the program was ending last week. I ordered 16 more tests before the deadline.

[livingonthebeach]

Medicare as well as most private insurance cover the tests. In addition, there are community sites that provide free tests:

https://www.hhs.gov/coronavirus/community-based-testing-sites/index.html
 

[katsn1011]

I read an article the other day, it said go to your drug store or any other that your insurance covers, not only medicare , but many insurance companies do too. The article said to just ask in the pharmacy dept. They will check your insurance , not sure if you can get 8 but did say to ask for 8 thats considered a monthly supply. I would not contact your insurance first because when I checked for my antigen test I was told 6 different answers in 3 days. Finally asked for supervisors, ended be covered for my test with CVS after I was told 4 times I wasnt.

[Montanagirlalways]

So are u saying the test is covered if u go through the drive through pharmacy like we have been doing for the last year?  I thought I read there is a charge now if like $120 and insurance isn’t covering it. I have Medicare. I thought I had to be symptomatic for the test to be covered 

[GTO-Girl]

We went to CVS.…gave them our Medicare card and walked out with eight tests EACH.   

[Lady_E]

Well, we're testing tomorrow for our cruise and we're doing Walgreens drive thru. I'm figuring my insurance will cover it. 

[rudeney]

6 hours ago, Montanagirlalways said:

So are u saying the test is covered if u go through the drive through pharmacy like we have been doing for the last year?  I thought I read there is a charge now if like $120 and insurance isn’t covering it. I have Medicare. I thought I had to be symptomatic for the test to be covered 

 

No, it's that Medicare and most private insurance will cover the purchase price of at-home rapid antigen COVID tests.  I know my BCBS policy covers 8 per month per person.  I buy them and then go online to my account and upload receipts, then they send me a check.  

[Stick93]

I don’t test anymore - gave my tests to the people who are like to test. Should habve sold on eBay!

[Jessejo]

I was at Walgreens today for Omicron/Covid booster and asked about Covid testing for travel.  They said Medicare no longer covers testing for travel.  I think they said it would cost $129.  Looked online and found that Walmart is testing for $75 - I’ll check tomorrow and may make an appointment there.  I know there are some online proctored tests that were advertised at $19.95 but you have to download their app and jump thru hoops to get signed up.

[pfdaxe358]

I received several test kits in the mail a couple of weeks ago. ALL had past the expiration date...SMH

[katsn1011]

If you are covered for drive thru or in store testing is up to what kind of secondary insurance you have

mine covered it . That is why you should ask the pharmacy to check. We were covered for the two of us

not even a co-pay. But getting @ home tests should  work the same way ask the pharmacy.

 

[Biker19]

8 hours ago, Stick93 said:

Should habve sold on eBay!

eBay blocked the sale of the kits.

[BND]

They were never "free".  All of us who pay taxes and insurance premiums paid for them.  We only have 8 because my MIL who passed last year remained on a list at her senior living apartment and they apparently ordered tests for all the residents so they were forwarded to us as all her mail was until last month.   The ones we have expire next month and we have no use for them.   We never ordered any "free" ones.  We bought proctored ones for cruising and we have two of those left and no use for them either. 

Edited September 9, 2022 by BND

[Joseph2017China]

I have a bunch of free tests to sell you......They are expired, so on clearance.  $50 for a box of two.  

 

Seriously, I never tested but when I traveled and only because I had to.  But I do know people who tested weekly for 2 years.  Never understood it.  They said to protect me.

 

[coaster]

8 hours ago, pfdaxe358 said:

I received several test kits in the mail a couple of weeks ago. ALL had past the expiration date...SMH

Check the new extended expiration dates before you throw them out. 

 

https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-covid-19-and-medical-devices/home-otc-covid-19-diagnostic-tests#list

[TwinMamainMN]

deleted

Edited September 9, 2022 by TwinMamainMN
repetitive

[Airbear232]

19 hours ago, Williamsburgcruiser said:

Went out to order the free tests from the government, to potentially use for our October cruise, and got this:

 

 

Figured I'd share.

Will be interesting to see how long cruise lines will continue to require testing.  

[smokeybandit]

21 minutes ago, Airbear232 said:

Will be interesting to see how long cruise lines will continue to require testing.  

Other than Bermuda/Canada, they are essentially not required now since there's no verification of the test.

[Montanagirlalways]

We decided to take the test at Cocoa Beach Pharmacy and pay $50.00instead of going to Walgreens where we normally went because people were saying the cost at walgreens was now $129. We called walgreens and the said that also. our friends went to CVS and were not told anything about being charged. At cocoa beach pharmacy we were told we could try to submit it to the insurance (they don't do any insurance billing by the way). So I called Medicare (regular medicare) and I was told they do cover it. So now I have to go through all kinds of stuff for reimbursement.

Just FYI. It  might be different for you but thats what I found out

 

[DaniDanielle]

Luckily, here in New York there are free testing mobile vans spread out.  Very well done.

[jerseygirl3]

12 hours ago, Jessejo said:

I was at Walgreens today for Omicron/Covid booster and asked about Covid testing for travel.  They said Medicare no longer covers testing for travel.  I think they said it would cost $129.  Looked online and found that Walmart is testing for $75 - I’ll check tomorrow and may make an appointment there.  I know there are some online proctored tests that were advertised at $19.95 but you have to download their app and jump thru hoops to get signed up.

Actually, the proctored test through Rapid Test and Trace is exceptionally easy.  It's $20, no app to download.  You schedule your date and time on their website, you can use your own at home test kit, and  they are very diligent about sending you reminders of your appt. time that you selected.  The proctor was extremely nice and while still on the zoom with her, she made sure I received my negative test result in my email before we disconnected.  I highly recommend them.  I think it was On Point that was more complicated and you had to download two accounts or something like that.  But Rapid Test and Trace was excellent.  

[dada2199cc]

Lol, they were never free.

 

Youll just pay for them in higher taxes and inflation, forever.

[vjmatty]

40 minutes ago, DaniDanielle said:

Luckily, here in New York there are free testing mobile vans spread out.  Very well done.

 

Do they give you a printed result or only email?

[livingonthebeach]

8 minutes ago, dada2199cc said:

Lol, they were never free.

 

Youll just pay for them in higher taxes and inflation, forever.

 

It's true that nothing is truly "free".  What is meant is that there is no direct cost to the consumer when ordering the tests, however that ship has sailed.