We tried to get free at-home COVID tests on the first day they became available. We were not successful.

Private insurance companies will have to cover the cost of 8 home COVID-19 test kits per person per month.
It doesn't mean that you can go to your nearest pharmacy and get 8 free tests.

We went to eight different places on Saturday and got different results.

We had to submit requests for reimbursement through the mail because we couldn't get any tests paid for upfront through our insurer.
We were out of luck because "preferred" pharmacies aren't supposed to charge upfront.
The Department of Health and Human Services stressed that the new rule will encourage insurers to cover the costs up front so that consumers don't have to pay for their tests out of pocket. Insurers are setting up programs that will allow people to get the over-the-counter tests at a cheaper price.

Most consumers with private health coverage can go online or to a pharmacy or store, buy a test, and either get it paid for up front by their health plan, or get reimbursed for the cost by submitting a claim to their plan," HHS said.
You can get free test kits with no out of pocket costs if you are a preferred retailer of the insurance company. They may not have any.
United healthcare, the largest insurance company in the US, only reimburses tests at walmart pharmacy If you don't live near a Walmart Pharmacy, you have to pay for the test kit upfront, save your receipt, and submit it for reimbursement.
The reimbursement program for United-insured customers existed at two Walmart Pharmacies in California. The store's COVID-19 rapid tests were sold out for weeks. The other store had not received any rapid test shipments in days.
Some Anthem members can order tests through their website at no cost. The company says that it is still finalizing the plans for the federal reimbursement program.

Save it.

Insurance is supposed to reimburse 8 tests a month, but it appears not to be an on-the-spot system.

Hilary Brueck is an Insider.

Insider visited a pharmacy on Saturday that did not know about the federal reimbursement program.

The pharmacy in Brooklyn said he was aware of the program but had no idea if it would be covered by insurance or not, and he was going to inquire with insurance companies next week as to whether they would cover the tests upfront for their members.

A New York drugstore recommended saving your receipt and submitting it to insurance.

The pharmacy at Walgreens in Orange County recommended calling your insurance company. A pharmacy had posted a sign saying that at- home COVID-19 tests were out of stock, but a worker found a few FlowFlex tests behind the counter. Customers were limited to two per person because of the short supply of the tests.

An employee at a pharmacy in Orange County wasn't sure how to pay for at- home tests. The store had a supply of rapids tests, but they sold out in an hour. An employee at the store said that the store hadn't received a shipment of Abbott's rapid test in about a month.
There is a way to get a free test kit.

The reporter is at a store.

Business Insider's Aria Bendix.

If you don't live near a "preferred" pharmacy and don't want to pay out of pocket for a test kit, there is a federal website coming online next Wednesday, which will send people free test kits through the mail.

It's best to place your order ahead of time because the kits may take 1-2 weeks to be delivered.