Keeping yourself and others safe is the top priority during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. If you’re concerned that you may have COVID-19, there are several options to consider for getting tested.
For a limited time, all U.S. households can order up to four at-home COVID-19 tests from the government at covidtests.gov. These will be mailed to you at no cost. Americans are encouraged to use these at-home tests when they have symptoms of COVID-19 or planning to visit with immunocompromised or vulnerable individuals. The site also includes information on how to check if your existing FDA-authorized at-home OTC COVID-19 tests have new expanded expiration dates.
Those with Medicare Part B, including those enrolled in a Florida Blue Medicare Advantage plan, have access to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved over-the-counter (OTC) COVID-19 tests at no additional cost. Medicare beneficiaries can get up to eight tests per calendar month per beneficiary from participating pharmacies and health care providers through the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
A list of participating pharmacies is available here. For more information, please refer to this Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Fact Sheet as well as these Frequently Asked Questions.
In addition to this federal initiative, there are other options for you to get a COVID-19 test, including:
- Your primary care doctor (they can help direct you to a testing site if they’re unable to provide a test)
- Urgent Care Centers
- Contact the nearest health center or health department to find availability and locations for COVID-19 testing and vaccinations. Medicare members can visit findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/ to find the nearest location.
- Contact local community health centers and Medicare-certified health clinics for distribution at no cost to patients and community members. A list of community-based testing sites can be found here.
- Florida Blue Medicare offers coverage of the approved OTC home testing kits directly from the following suppliers:
- If you are a member of the BlueMedicare Complete DSNP plan and reside in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and St. Lucie counties, you can order tests from Solutran at healthybenefitsplus.com/BlueMCOTC, which is the BlueMedicare member entry site for a Walmart.com account.
- All Florida Blue Medicare members and BlueMedicare Complete DSNP members living outside Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and St. Lucie counties can order tests from NationsOTC. Tests can be ordered at nationsotc.com/FloridaBlueMedicare or by calling 1-877-270-4569 (TTY: 711).
- GuideWell Emergency Doctors, an in-network provider under many Florida Blue plans, with locations in Greater Orlando (Winter Park, Orlando, Ocoee and Kissimmee) and Tampa Bay (West Tampa, University Area, North Tampa, Palm Harbor, Largo and St. Petersburg) is available to offer testing.
It’s a good idea to call the testing location first to make an appointment (if necessary) so you have a guaranteed test waiting when they arrive. You can also check to see if there’s a cost.
If it’s not an emergency, your best option is one of the choices above, rather than going to a hospital ER for a COVID-19 test. Hospital ERs are focused on treating those who are seriously ill and other emergencies. In a true emergency, always go to the nearest ER.
Should I Get Tested?
Testing is most important if you have been exposed to COVID-19 and have symptoms or you are older and/or have certain medical conditions, like diabetes, that can put you at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
The Florida Department of Health earlier this year issued updated guidance and recommendations to maximize the benefits of COVID-19 testing in our state.
