Free COVID Tests to Return Across U.S. Starting Sept. 25

At-home tests for COVID will again be free of charge to all Americans as health officials anticipate an increase in cases headed into the winter months.

How To Get Free COVID Tests

The Associated Press reported the Biden administration will provide $600 million in funding to produce new at-home tests. American households will be able to order up to four free tests via COVIDTests.gov starting Sept. 25.

The tests detect COVID variants that are currently in circulation. Tests included in the program are intended to be used by the end of the year.

The Biden administration previously halted mailing tests in June.

Why Are COVID Test Being Offered Again?

The Washington Post noted the restart of the free at-home test program comes "after Americans navigated the latest uptick in COVID cases with free testing no longer widely available."

The report also pointed out that many large insurance companies ceased reimbursing the coast of at-home tests bought in stores once they were no longer required to do so in May.

"We've seen every winter, as people move indoors into heated spaces, away from the outside that, over each of the seasons that COVID's been a concern, that we have seen cases go up," Dawn O'Connell, assistant secretary for preparedness and response at the Department of Health and Human Services, told the Associated Press.

She went on to say while there is always a chance for the arrival of a new COVID variant, the department is "not anticipating that."