At-Home COVID-19 Tests to be Covered Beginning January 15

This past Monday, January 10, 2022, the Department of Health and Human Services, along with the Department of Labor, released new guidelines pertaining to at-home COVID-19 test kits. These new guidelines mandate that private insurance plans begin covering the costs for these at- home COVID-19 test kits, beginning, Saturday, January 15, 2022.

In compliance with this new policy, the Christian Brothers Trusts (CBEBT and CBRMT) will cover up to eight, over-the-counter COVID-19 diagnostic tests authorized, cleared, or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), per covered individual, per month, purchased on or after January 15.

Only the following tests are FDA-approved and authorized for reimbursement:

• Inteliswab COVID-19 Rapid Test
• Binaxnow COVID-19 AG Self Test
• Quickvue At-Home COVID-19 Test
• Ellume COVID-19 Home Test
• Flowflex COVID-19 AG Home Test

No other brands will be covered at 100% under the plan at this time.

You may purchase these at-home, over-the-counter COVID-19 test kits through any available pharmacy or retailer.

Christian Brothers Services is working swiftly to streamline the process for reimbursement for such tests and will notify members and participants as soon as the method is determined. Please retain all proofs of purchase and refrain from sending those to our office until we have finalized a formal process. We will send further communication regarding the process as it becomes available.

We are diligently working with Express Scripts Inc. (ESI), the Trusts' pharmacy manager, to add at-home COVID-19 tests to its covered drug list, making it simple for participants to obtain a free test kit using their pharmacy benefit in the near future.

Within the next few weeks, you will be able to obtain these approved kits through our network of pharmacies by showing your insurance ID card, with no upfront cost and no claims forms. As the situation remains fluid, please be patient as we work to make this happen.

Please check our website at www.cbservices.org for the most up-to-date information on how to obtain your test kits and the reimbursement process.

Please note: Plans do not have to provide this coverage when it is for purposes not primarily intended for individualized diagnosis or treatment of COVID-19. Specifically, plans are not required to provide coverage of testing that is for employment purposes.