Dear Colleague:
On January 10, 2022, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that it would require insurance companies and group health plans to cover the cost of FDA-approved at-home Covid-19 test kits in an effort to further expand access to free testing. This requirement is scheduled to take effect Saturday, January 15, 2022. Insurance companies and health plans are required to cover 8 free over-the-counter at-home tests per covered individual per month. Additional information regarding this requirement can be found here.
We are working with our team at Express Scripts (ESI) to ensure this coverage is in place for our employees and their families, and will provide an update when we have additional information. In the meantime, we are able to share the following information:
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The tests must be purchased from a pharmacy in order to be eligible for coverage (for example, if you go to a local Walgreens and pick up a test from the front counter, you must take it to the pharmacy counter to pay for it).
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The requirement will cover the cost of OTC tests that are designed to be completed and read at home. It will not cover the cost of a test where the sample is initially taken at home but then sent to a lab for reading.
Express Scripts is working diligently to update their systems to ensure the OTC Covid-19 Test Kits process through your prescription insurance at $0 copay, when purchased through a participating pharmacy. Until this system process is complete, if you purchase a home test starting Saturday, January 15, please retain your receipt for reimbursement through your insurance plan. You will then need to submit a claim form* to Express Scripts to request reimbursement.
*Note: when completing the Express Scripts claim form, keep this information in mind:
- Your member ID is your 9 digit LIN. You can find this in Banner.
- Our group number is LEHIGHU.
- The claim form will not require a pharmacy signature for the OTC Covid-19 tests.
Also be on the lookout for communications from Capital Blue Cross. While we do not have prescription coverage through Capital Blue Cross (our prescription coverage is administered by Express Scripts) you can submit eligible receipts to Capital Blue Cross for reimbursement. To do this, you will need to submit a claim form.
We appreciate your patience while our team works through this evolving process, and will send another communication as soon as we have more details.
Be Well,
Human Resources