House Armed Services Committee Vice Chair Rep. Elaine Luria (VA-02) and Rep. Debbie Dingell (MI-12) led 43 of their colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin urging the Department of Defense to update TRICARE’s policy to cover at-home COVID-19 tests for active-duty servicemembers and military families.
Recent guidance from President Biden and the Department of Health and Human Services requires private health insurance companies and Medicare to cover the cost of at-home COVID tests. Unfortunately, his announcement excluded TRICARE, leaving beneficiaries without free and accessible tests that are covered and without limitations for civilians.
“Providing access to COVID testing is a key component to ending this pandemic, and it is unfair that military servicemembers and their families are unable to access these tests at no out of pocket cost as their civilian counterparts are,” Rep. Luria said. “We urge Secretary Austin to ensure that TRICARE provides improved access to free tests for our armed forces and military families.”
Rep. Luria continues to press the Biden Administration to update TRICARE policies and expand access to free COVID tests for active-duty military personnel and military families. Earlier this month, Rep. Luria urged TRICARE to update its policy.
The text of Rep. Luria and Rep. Dingell’s letter to Sec. Austin can be found here.
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