Minnesota health insurers are beginning to cover the cost of at-home COVID-19 tests, but state officials advise that consumers should contact health plans first to understand how to access the new benefits.
The federal requirement applies to private insurers, including all employer-sponsored group health plans, as well as individual policies from those carriers. Different guidelines apply, however, to coverage through the government-funded Medicare and Medicaid insurance programs.
The Biden Administration announced last week that private health insurers would be required to cover at-home COVID-19 testing costs. Insurers will pay up to $12 per individual test, or $24 for a package that contains two tests, and provide coverage for up to eight tests per person per month, according to an announcement Tuesday from the Minnesota Department of Commerce.
"The new rules apply to people who have private health insurance," said Julia Dreier, an assistant commissioner with the Minnesota Department of Commerce. "The best thing for people to do — because there are gaps — is for people to just call their insurance company to confirm and see what information they have available."
The administration is requiring coverage for at-home tests purchased over-the-counter on or after Jan. 15. Health plans have the option of reimbursing consumers for tests purchased at earlier dates, but they're not required to do so.
A frequently-asked-questions document from the federal government is a key resource for questions about the new testing benefit, which kicked in Saturday, the commerce department said.
The program is not open to the roughly 500,000 Minnesotans covered through the original Medicare program, although the federal government is pointing those seniors to other testing options.
About 500,000 Minnesotans obtain Medicare benefits through Medicare Advantage health plans, which "may offer coverage and payment for at-home over-the-counter COVID-19 tests," the federal government states in the FAQ document. "Consumers covered by Medicare Advantage should check with their plan."