The expiration of the nationwide COVID-19 public well being emergency Thursday night will imply the top of free at-home checks for some, although many Californians will nonetheless have the ability to get their fingers on screening kits.
On the finish of the scheduled Might 11 sundown date, a federal rule requiring insurers to reimburse policyholders for the price of as much as eight at-home COVID checks per 30 days will finish.
This tightening of the testing faucet will have an effect on some Medicare beneficiaries and threatens to restrict or reduce off entry to no-cost testing throughout a swath of the nation.
However in California, state lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom have taken steps to keep away from that situation.
Right here’s what you’ll want to know:
How will testing entry change?
For a lot of in California, there gained’t be any near-term adjustments. State legislators have already ordered well being insurers to proceed reimbursement for eight month-to-month at-home checks for many well being plans.
What are the main points?
Following the passage of Senate Payments 510 and 1473, well being plans regulated by the California Division of Managed Well being Care will nonetheless be required to cowl the prices of eight over-the-counter speedy checks a month for every particular person insured.
Moreover employer-based healthcare protection, this consists of Medi-Cal-managed plans and Lined California plans.
Beginning Nov. 11, insurers regulated by the state Division of Managed Well being Care nonetheless should cowl COVID checks in the event that they’re supplied in community, however can cost for checks bought out of community.
This covers most insured Californians, together with these with plans via their employers — however not everybody. For example, it’s attainable Medicare beneficiaries within the state might lose entry.
What’s the scenario with Medicare?
Medicare has stated its beneficiaries’ entry to free over-the-counter checks will finish on the night of Might 11, so there’s nonetheless time to refill earlier than then. Some pharmacies enable walk-in clients to request no-cost checks.
Nonetheless, Medicare beneficiaries might produce other insurance coverage that may nonetheless cowl at-home COVID checks.
Moreover, Medicare will nonetheless cowl, at no cost, coronavirus lab checks which might be ordered by a healthcare supplier, even after Might 11.
“In case you are enrolled in Medicare Half B, you’ll proceed to have protection with no out-of-pocket prices for acceptable laboratory-based COVID-19 PCR and antigen checks, when a supplier orders them (corresponding to drive-through PCR and antigen testing or testing in a supplier’s workplace),” Medicare stated in an announcement. “In case you are enrolled in a Medicare Benefit plan, you could have extra entry to checks relying in your advantages. Test together with your plan.”
How can I declare no-cost checks?
Contact your insurer for particulars on getting reimbursed for at-home COVID checks. You should purchase checks, submit a declare kind for reimbursement and get a verify within the mail. The federal rule that expires Might 11 reimburses as much as $12 per particular person take a look at (some take a look at kits embody two checks per field).
Kaiser Permanente is giving California members an choice to obtain as much as eight checks per 30 days at no cost via the mail, which is able to proceed not solely after Might 11, but in addition after Nov. 11.
Free at-home checks checks will proceed to be obtainable in a number of places, together with Los Angeles County libraries, vaccination websites run by the county Division of Public Well being, meals banks and senior facilities.
Residents can also use the state’s portal, MyTurn.ca.gov/testing, to discover a COVID-19 testing website close to them.
L.A. County seniors 65 and older or individuals unable to depart their dwelling can request two free checks be mailed to them.
