USPS will soon start sending free COVID tests again: How to order

As fall approaches and a new variant of COVID-19 spreads around the world, the U.S. federal government is once again preparing to ship home COVID tests to households across the United States.

U.S. households will soon be able to order four free home COVID test kits again via the COVIDTests.gov website. The government has said the tests will be available to order “by the end of September 2024,” but there is no indication yet of an official rollout date.

Dawn O'Connell, assistant minister for preparedness and response at the Department of Health, said, according to ABC News: “This fall, as families begin to move back into their homes and spend time with their loved ones, both the very old and the very young, they will once again have the opportunity to order up to four new COVID-19 tests free of charge and have them shipped directly to their home.”

To read more: The new COVID-19 vaccines are here: This time it’s different

Until the program resumes, there are still a few different ways to get tested for COVID-19 for free. Read on to find out how you can continue to get free COVID testing and how to get free treatments and COVID-19 vaccines.

For more information, see When is the best time to get a flu shot and everything you need to know about Novavax, the latest COVID-19 vaccine.

How does the USPS free COVID-19 testing program work?

In January 2022, President Joe Biden announced the launch of CovidTests.gov, a website where households can order four free rapid antigen COVID-19 tests that will be sent by mail. Four more free tests were added to the website in March 2022, eight more in May 2022, four more in December 2022, and another four more in September 2023. This new round of deliveries will also include four COVID tests at the start.

Unlike some complicated government applications, ordering free tests from the Postal Service has historically been easy. Filling out a short form that asks for your name and mailing address should take less than 2 minutes, and tests should be mailed in about one to two weeks. People without internet access or those who have trouble ordering online should be able to request tests by calling a toll-free number: 800-232-0233.

It's not clear exactly how long the free COVID-19 tests will be available, so it's best to place your order early when new shipments begin in September.

How do I order free tests from USPS?

When the postal service resumes accepting orders for COVID-19 tests in late September, you will likely only need to provide a minimum of personal information, such as your name and address, to order your tests. You won't need to provide any credit or debit card information—the tests and shipping are free.

All orders are expected to be shipped via First Class Package Service. Individuals unable to access the website or having problems ordering online may call 800-232-0233 to order their free tests once the program starts again in September.

When will my COVID tests arrive?

In the past, free COVID tests from USPS arrived about two weeks after ordering. Tests typically ship within seven to 12 days and are delivered by USPS within one to three days of shipment.

What options do I have now to get tested for COVID-19 free of charge?

Until the Postal Service starts sending out free COVID tests again in late September, you have five options for finding free COVID-19 testing sites in the U.S.: HRSA health centers, Test-to-Treat sites, ICATT testing sites, private health insurance, and Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program. These options work similarly, but we'll walk you through the steps to find your nearest free testing site.

HRSA health centers offer free COVID-19 testing

The Health Resources and Services Administration funds health centers across the United States. You can get tested for COVID-19 for free at these HRSA health centers. You can use HRSA's search tool to find a center near you.

First, select the language you want to receive your results in. Then simply enter the location you want to search in the field labeled with it. Location. The viewfinder also allows you to expand your search radius so you can see all the options your area has to offer.

Once you have found a center that is right for you, click through to the location's website and follow the instructions provided to receive a free COVID-19 test.

Test to Treat sites have COVID tests and medications

Test to Treat is a government-funded health initiative that offers more accessible COVID-19 treatment. This option is different from the others in this article because you can use the Test to Treat centers to get both COVID testing and treatment for infection. Like the other free COVID-19 testing options, Test to Treat has a search tool that you can use to find a suitable Test to Treat center near you.

The Test to Treat center locator works like the other COVID testing locator tools. Enter your location in the search bar and the tool will display Test to Treat locations near you. A slider allows you to adjust the search radius to include all Test to Treat centers near you.

In the results of the Test to Treat search box, you can see the address of each location, the COVID-19 treatments they offer, and any other special instructions you may need to know in order to get tested. If there is no way to schedule a COVID test online through your chosen website, you may need to call.

Improved community access to testing enables COVID testing for the uninsured

Increasing Community Access to Testing is another free testing program you can use if you need access to free COVID-19 testing. ICATT works a little differently than the other programs on this list.

ICATT is specifically designed for uninsured patients who have been exposed to COVID-19 or are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. Anyone can take an ICATT test at one of the program's sites, regardless of insurance status. If you are uninsured and want to get tested at an ICATT-eligible site, you will not have to pay anything for your test. If you are insured, you may be required to pay a fee.

The ICATT search tool works just like the other free COVID testing search tools – enter your address or zip code to find ICATT locations near you. There is a search radius adjuster in this search tool that allows you to fine-tune your search to cover the entire area you want to search.

Once you have found a location, follow your testing location's steps to schedule an appointment.

What about free COVID testing from health insurance, Medicare or Medicaid?

On January 10, 2022, President Joe Biden announced that all health insurers would be required by law to offer their customers eight free COVID-19 tests per month, ending with the end of the national health emergency due to COVID-19 on May 11, 2023.

California law still requires all healthcare providers to offer their clients eight free at-home COVID-19 tests per month. Outside of this state, you will need to check with your own health insurance provider to determine what coverage policies apply to over-the-counter COVID tests.

According to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Medicare generally does not cover over-the-counter products such as COVID-19 test kits. Medicare's coverage of at-home COVID tests ended with the public health emergency.

If you're enrolled in Medicare Plan B, you'll still have access to “lab-based COVID-19 tests” like polymerase chain reaction tests, but you won't be covered for over-the-counter rapid antigen tests. If you have health insurance through Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program, you can still get free at-home COVID tests through September 30, 2024.

How can I get free COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots?

COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots are important protection against getting the virus or becoming seriously ill from it. Since the CDC has recommended current COVID-19 booster shots for everyone 6 months of age and older, you may be wondering how to find free COVID-19 vaccines.

If you are uninsured or have health insurance, you can still get a COVID vaccine for free for a short period of time.

On September 14, 2023, the Department of Health and Human Services launched the Bridge Access Program, which continues to provide free vaccines to people without health insurance through local health departments and HRSA centers. The CDC has also partnered with “more than 20,000 pharmacies across the country” to provide free vaccines by modifying the existing ICATT program mentioned above.

Funding for the Bridge Access Program ends after August 2024, but until then you can still access free COVID-19 vaccines. To take advantage of the program, go to vaccines.gov, select the vaccination you want, then click the “Search” button. On the next page, select the “Bridge Access Program Participants” option to see which locations are offering free vaccines.

For more information, see: How Your Blood Type May Make You More Vulnerable to COVID and all about the new COVID-19 vaccines coming in fall 2024.