Table of Contents
COVID-19 is still raging across the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and PreventionFall is here, bringing with it windier weather and increased infections. That’s why the U.S. government is offering free at-home COVID-19 tests. To get yours in the mail, all you have to do is request them.
There at the COVID-testing.gov website, U.S. households will be able to order four free home COVID test kits again by the end of this month. There’s no concrete date yet for when you can expect access, but it’s best to keep an eye on when they’re available.
Dawn O’Connell, assistant secretary for preparedness and response at the Department of Health and Human Services, said: “As families return to their homes this fall and spend time with their loved ones, both very old and very young, they will once again have the opportunity to order up to four new COVID-19 tests for free and have them shipped directly to their home.” according to ABC News.
Reading more: New COVID-19 vaccines are here: here’s what’s different this time
On March 8, 2024, the federal government discontinued its free COVID testing program, which had restarted in September 2023. There have been a total of six previous rounds of free COVID testing.
Until the program starts up again, there are still several ways to get free COVID-19 testing. Read on to find out how you can still get free COVID testing, as well as how you can get free treatment and COVID-19 vaccines.
For more information, read what you need to know about long COVID and the latest information on mpox here.
How does the USPS free COVID-19 testing program work?
In January 2022, President Joe Biden announced the launch of CovidTests.gova website where households could order four free rapid antigen COVID-19 tests, shipped by the Postal Service. The site added four more free tests in March 2022, eight more in May 2022, four more in December 2022, and four more in September 2023. This new round of shipments will also include four COVID tests to start.
Unlike some complicated government applications, ordering free tests from the Postal Service has been simple in the past. It should take less than 2 minutes to fill out a short form that asks for your name and mailing address, and the tests should ship within a week or two. People without internet access or who have difficulty ordering online should be able to order tests by calling a toll-free number: 800-232-0233.
It is not yet clear how long the free COVID-19 tests will be valid. It is therefore wise to place your order as soon as possible, because the new deliveries will start in September.
How can I order free tests from USPS?
When the Postal Service begins accepting orders for COVID-19 tests again in late September, you will likely only need to provide minimal personal information, such as your name and address, to order your tests. You will not need to provide credit or debit card information: the tests and shipping are free.
All orders will likely be shipped via First Class Package Service. People who cannot access the website or have difficulty ordering online should be able to call 800-232-0233 to order their free tests once the program starts again in September.
When will my COVID tests be delivered?
In the past, free COVID tests from USPS arrived approximately two weeks after ordering. The tests typically ship within seven to 12 days and are delivered by USPS within one to three days of shipment.
What are my free COVID-19 testing options now?
Until the Postal Service begins sending out free COVID tests again in late September, there are five main ways to find free COVID-19 testing locations in the U.S.: HRSA health centers, Test to Treat locations, ICATT testing locations, private health insurance, and Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program. These options work similarly, but we’ll break down the specific steps to find your nearest free testing location.
HRSA Health Centers Offering Free COVID-19 Testing
HRSA health centers are offering free COVID-19 testing.
The Health Care Resources and Services Administration funds health centers across the U.S. These HRSA health centers offer free COVID-19 testing. You can HRSA’s Localization Tool to find a center near you.
First, select the language you want to receive your results in. Then, simply enter the location you want to search in the box labeled LocationThe locator also allows you to expand your search radius so you can see all the options in your area.
Once you find a center that suits you, click through to that specific center’s website and follow the specific instructions for obtaining a free COVID-19 test.
Test to Treat locations have COVID testing and medications
The Test to Treat program makes COVID testing and therapies more accessible.
Test to treat is a federally funded health care initiative that provides more accessible COVID-19 care. This option differs from the others in this article because you can use Test to Treat centers to receive both COVID testing and treatment for the infection. Like the other free COVID-19 testing options, Test to Treat has a locator tool you can use to find a convenient Test to Treat center near you.
The Test to Treat Center Finder works just like the other COVID testing search tools. Enter your location in the search bar and the tool will show you Test to Treat locations in your area. A slider lets you adjust the search radius to capture all Test to Treat centers in your area.
In the Test to Treat locator results, you can see the address of each location, what COVID-19 therapies they offer, and other special instructions you may need to know to get tested. If there is no option to schedule a COVID test online through your chosen site, you may need to call.
Increasing community access to testing will help uninsured individuals access COVID testing
ICATT is offering free testing to uninsured patients who are showing symptoms of COVID-19 or who have been recently exposed.
Increasing community access to testingor ICATT, is another free testing program you can use if you need access to free COVID-19 testing. ICATT works a little differently than the other programs on this list.
ICATT is specifically designed for uninsured patients who have been exposed to COVID-19 or are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. Anyone can take an ICATT test at one of the program’s locations, regardless of insurance status. If you are uninsured and want to be tested at an ICATT-eligible location, you will not be charged for your test. If you have insurance, you may be charged a fee.
The ICATT locator tool works just like the other free COVID testing locator tools — enter your address or zip code to find ICATT locations near you. There is a search radius adjuster in this locator to customize your searches to capture the entire area you want to search.
Once you find a location, follow the steps provided by your testing location to schedule your appointment.
What about free COVID testing from health insurance, Medicare or Medicaid?
On January 10, 2022, President Joe Biden announced that all health insurers would be legally required to offer their customers eight free COVID-19 tests per month. However, this obligation expired with the end of the national public health emergency for COVID-19 on May 11, 2023.
California law still requires all health care providers to offer eight free COVID-19 tests per month to their clients. Outside of that state, you should contact your own health insurance to find out what its coverage policy is for over-the-counter COVID tests.
According to the U.S. government, Medicare generally does not pay for over-the-counter products such as COVID-19 test kits. Center for Medicare and Medicaid ServicesMedicare coverage of at-home COVID testing ended with the public health emergency.
If you’re enrolled in Medicare Plan B, you’ll still have access to “laboratory-derived COVID-19 testing,” such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, but you won’t be covered for over-the-counter rapid antigen tests. If you have health insurance through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, you can still get free at-home COVID testing through September 30, 2024.
How can I get free COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots?
COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are an important protection against contracting or becoming seriously ill from the virus. Since the CDC has recommended updated COVID-19 booster vaccines for everyone 6 months or older, you may be wondering how to find free COVID-19 vaccines.
If you do not have insurance or a health insurer, you can still get COVID vaccines for free for a short period of time.
On September 14, 2023, the Ministry of Health and Welfare launched the Bridge Access Programwhich will continue to provide free vaccines to uninsured people through local health departments and HRSA centers. The CDC has also partnered with “more than 20,000 pharmacy locations across the country” to provide free vaccines by adapting the existing ICATT program mentioned above.
Funding for the Bridge Access Program will end after August 2024, but you can still get COVID-19 vaccines for free until then. To use it, go to vaccines.govchoose which shot you want and then click the ‘search’ button. On the next page, select the ‘Bridge Access Program Participant’ option to see which locations are offering free vaccines.
Learn more about how your blood type can make you more susceptible to COVID and all about the new COVID-19 vaccines coming in fall 2024.
