How to use your health plan benefit to access COVID-19 tests

On January 10, 2022, the Biden administration announced that at-home, self-read COVID-19 tests purchased on or after January 15, 2022, will be covered by health insurers. This means you will have easy access to these tests and your health plan will cover them up front or reimburse you. 

What you need to know

You are now eligible to obtain up to eight at-home COVID-19 testing kits every 30 days for each covered person in your household at your local pharmacy or online as needed, as long as the tests are not used for required employment testing or for resale purposes. The University of Alabama in Huntsville with BCBS has a network of pharmacies that will bill these at-home COVID-19 tests and process them at $0 to you. Additional information is linked below:

• Frequently Asked Questions: Prime Therapeutics FAQ: COVID-19 At Home Test Kits
• Paper Claim Form: Prime Therapeutics: COVID Claim Form
• COVID-19 Test Information: OTC_COVID-19 Test Information

There are no up-front costs if you purchase COVID-19 testing kits through a pharmacy that submits your claim online. We encourage participants to submit a claim through this electronic method when possible.

How it works using your benefit plan

1. Go to MyPrime.com to identify a pharmacy that has opted into this program.
2. Purchase the at-home COVID-19 testing kit(s) at your local pharmacy counter and request that they submit the claim through your prescription insurance provided through UAH.

If you do not purchase the at-home test kits at the pharmacy counter and instead purchase them at the regular checkout counter or through an approved online retailer, you will have to pay for the test kits. Then, you can submit a paper claim form to request reimbursement.

How to get reimbursed if purchased outside the pharmacy or at a pharmacy retail counter (by submitting a receipt)

If you purchase online, through a local retailer, or you did not have the pharmacy submit a claim on your behalf and paid out of pocket for at-home test kits, you may request reimbursement as follows:

1.  Fill out the attached paper claim request form (provided above).
2.  Submit the paper claim request form for reimbursement along with the receipt from the retailer where the over-the-counter COVID-19 test kit was purchased (following the submission instructions on the form). You will need to reference the UPC code on the box to complete the form.

Please note that BCBS will reimburse the cost of the COVID-19 at-home test kit on the receipt up to $12 per individual test. If you purchased a test kit and paid more than $12 per test, you are responsible for the amount over $12. There is no reimbursement for COVID-19 test kits that are used for employment purposes or for resale.

Over-the-counter (OTC) at-home COVID-19 testing products available at no cost listed below. The list of approved tests is subject to change. See your health plan’s website for the most current list of approved tests.