How to Avoid Fake Covid-19 Tests

Ongoing supply shortages of COVID-19 tests have spawned a new online market for scammers: fake COVID-19 tests. 

Shady companies are taking advantage of increased consumer demand to sell faux at-home test kits online. 

If you do unwittingly use a fake COVID-19 test and receive a false negative result, you risk spreading the infection to others and not receiving appropriate treatment. 

The counterfeit COVID-19 tests are widespread enough that the Federal Trade Commission published a statement in January warning consumers of the issue and advising them of steps to take to avoid the fake tests. 

A legitimate COVID-19 test is one that has been authorized by the FDA. The FDA maintains an updated list of antigen and molecular diagnostic tests for SARS-CoV-2 (the virus which causes COVID-19) which have received emergency use authorization (EUA). If you are buying an at-home test kit online and want to make sure it is legit, you can check the list: In Vitro Diagnostics EUAs - Antigen Diagnostic Tests for SARS-CoV-2 | FDA. 

The FDA also has a list of fraudulent COVID-19 products you can search: Fraudulent Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Products | FDA

Additional steps you can take to avoid illegitimate COVID-19 test kits: 

1. Buy from trusted retailers such as pharmacies (eg CVS, Walgreens) or your doctor's office
2. Read reviews of the product online
3. Check to make sure the image of the FDA authorized test kit packaging matches the packaging shown by the seller
4. Watch for inaccurate claims. Currently, no at-home test kits are yet ‘approved’ by the FDA (this requires a more lengthy process than EUA), so kits claiming to be ‘approved’, rather than authorized, should be avoided. 

Update on Out of Pocket Costs of COVID-19 Tests: Medicare Recipients Will Soon Be Eligible for Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests

The new year found Americans mired in the peak of yet another SARS-CoV-2 wave, with the preceding holiday season scarred by overstretched health care systems and testing capacity. In response, the Biden administration has increased the accessibility of at-home COVID-19 tests on multiple fronts.

In January 2022, all US households became eligible to request four free rapid COVID-19 tests either via the website, COVIDTests.gov, or by calling 800-232-0233. 

At the same time, the government also mandated that private health insurers cover up to eight at-home antigen tests per month, per covered individual, with reimbursement capped at $12 per testing kit (two tests per kit). Out of pocket costs vary between ~$10-25 per kit. Typically, the insurance provider will cover the upfront cost for in-network pharmacies and retroactively reimburse members who buy test kits from out-of-network pharmacies.

Although Medicare was not initially included in the coverage mandate, at the beginning of February the Biden administration announced that Medicare beneficiaries, including Medicare Advantage, would also become eligible for eight free at-home COVID-19 antigen tests per month, beginning in the early spring. 

The expanded coverage will include over 60 million Americans, many of whom fall into the higher risk health category.

Medicaid recipients already have full coverage of at-home COVID-19 tests (8 per month).