The Biden administration says people with Medicare will be able to get up to eight free over-the-counter COVID-19 tests per month, starting in early spring.
The Army said it plans to discharge soldiers who refuse to comply with the Pentagon's vaccine mandate. Meanwhile, parents and health officials wait for the vaccine to be approved for children under 5.WASHINGTON -- The Biden administration, seeking to fill a frustrating gap in COVID-19 testing coverage, announced on Thursday that people with Medicare will be able to get free over-the-counter tests much more easily in the coming weeks.
Last month, the administration directed private insurers to cover up to eight free tests a month for people on their plans. Officials said at the time they were still trying to figure out what to do about Medicare, which covers more than 60 million people, most of them age 65 or older and more vulnerable to severe illness from coronavirus infection.
The new policy deals with so-called rapid tests, which provide at-home results in about 15 minutes. Many families use the tests before getting together for special occasions or when grandparents travel from out of state to see grandkids they haven't been able to play with for months due to COVID-19 isolation. Some testmakers pitch older adults directly in their marketing.
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