President Joe Biden's new rule that will require insurance to cover at-home COVID-19 tests will go into effect on Saturday.
Private insurers will cover up to eight at-home COVID tests per person each month.
"The new coverage requirement means that 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," a statement on the Health and Human Services website says.
The Biden administration is also purchasing 500 million tests that people will be able to request online.
"The federal government is launching a website this month where you can get tests shipped to your home for free, upon your request," Biden said last week.
The administration has faced criticism for a shortage in testing as the omicron variant surges across the country.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, the seven-day average of COVID-19 cases continues to steadily increase.
The CDC says the omicron variant may account for approximately 95% of cases.
While the omicron variant has shown to be more able to evade vaccines, the shots still provide significant protection against severe infection and death, health experts say.
