How to get your money back for home COVID test kits

While it's nice that the government sends us four free rapid home COVID test kits per month, that won't be enough for many households. However, if you have private insurance through an employer or group, you have an alternative:You can get reimbursed for — or pick up from approved retailers for free — up to eight FDA-cleared at-home COVID tests. per person per month.

Announced in January, the new rules state that private health insurers are required to cover such tests without needing approval from a doctor or other medical provider. (If you need more kits, you can also have them covered if ordered by a medical provider.) This requirement went into effect on January 15.

How do you benefit from it? It depends on your specific health fund.

Currently, the best way to find out how to be reimbursed for the tests you have purchased is to log on to your health insurance fund's website. I checked about six insurance sites, and currently most offer claim forms that you can fill out and submit with proof of purchase. Eventually, according to the announcement, we should be able to collect the kits from pharmacies and approved stores; however, it is still early.

A few other things to know:

• You'll need to provide proof of purchase with your claim form, so if you're purchasing from a local store, don't lose that receipt.
• Your insurance company may have a list of approved kits and/or approved retailers for which they will accept claims. Therefore, it is a good idea to check your insurer's site before buying.
• You can purchase an FDA-approved kit outside of your insurer's authorized retailer network; your insurance company is required to reimburse these purchases at the rate of $12 per test.
• If you ordered a COVID test kit online before January 15 but didn't receive it until after, you may still be covered. Check with your insurer or submit the form with proof of purchase and delivery, and hope for the best.
• The requirement covers eight tests per person – not eight kits. So if your kit contains two or more tests (and many do), keep that in mind when submitting your request.

Unfortunately, that leaves Medicare and Medicaid health insurance recipients — and those without insurance — pretty much out in the cold. The government now provides four free test kits per month per household if you sign up, but that won't go very far if you have more than two people in your household and need to test frequently. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicare Services, "State Medicaid and CHIP programs are required to cover FDA-authorized home COVID-19 testing," but rules may vary by state and you will need to contact your local office for more information.

Finally, according to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), health clinics supported by HRSA and Medicare are being provided with home testing kits to distribute; again, you'll need to check with your local clinic.

You can find more information about reimbursements at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services site.

Updated January 20 at 11:30 am ET: Added information to clarify availability of test kits for Medicaid and CHIP program participants.