Under new federal rule, UVM insurance now covers Covid antigen tests – vtdigger.org

Rapid antigen tests at a Vermont Agency of Transportation garage in Colchester on Dec. 30. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger

In compliance with a new federal rule, members of the University of Vermont’s health insurance plan can now get free, at-home Covid-19 antigen tests.

While the university previously opted out of covering the tests, a rule issued by President Joe Biden compelled the school’s insurance plan — and all self-insured plans or private health insurance companies — to do so starting Jan. 15. 

Other large Vermont employers with self-insured plans, such as the University of Vermont Medical Center and National Life, covered at-home antigen tests before the federal rule was in place. 

In the announcement of the new benefit Friday evening, UVM officials made no mention of federal regulations spelling out their obligation to cover antigen tests.

“As we welcome everyone back for a new semester, we want to provide tools and resources that help ensure the continued health and safety of employees and their families,” administrators wrote in an email.

A university spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

Under the federal rule, each person covered by an insurance plan can get up to eight free tests in a 30-day period. 

With UVM’s plan — which is managed by BlueCross BlueShield of Vermont — members can get free Covid tests online and at most local pharmacies without paying any upfront costs, since they are within the Blue Cross network, according to the policy. If members buy tests from a non-network vendor, they can get reimbursed for up to $12 of their purchase.   

If officials eventually decide to ax the rule, members of the plan will receive 30 days’ notice before it expires, according to the announcement.

“Coverage of over-the-counter Covid rapid tests is intended to address the unique circumstances of the recent surge in cases, and may not be a permanent benefit,” the email said. 

Administrators encouraged members of their plan to seek out free antigen tests from the state and federal governments. They also directed university employees to the school’s testing center, which offers them free PCR tests.

Vermonters with private health insurance have been able to be reimbursed for at-home antigen tests since early December, when Gov. Phil Scott issued an emergency rule similar to the new federal one. That regulation, however, did not extend to employers who governed their own insurance policies, since state officials said they didn’t have authority to regulate those plans.

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Still, Scott’s administration asked employers with self-insured plans — typically large organizations — to follow suit voluntarily, warning that the upcoming federal rule would eventually impact them.

Despite the governor’s request, the state’s flagship university opted not to cover the benefit.

“We regularly review employee medical benefits to determine what changes might better serve UVM’s workforce within the bounds of affordability for both employees and the university,” UVM spokesperson Joel Seligman wrote in a December email to VTDigger. 

In November, UVM pointed to a Biden administration rule as the reason behind its Covid-19 vaccination mandate for employees. The U.S. Supreme Court blocked that rule from going into effect last week. 

In their announcement of the new benefit, UVM administrators said the goal of the insurance coverage is to “effectively and efficiently meet the health care needs of our employees and their families, while constraining costs for both covered members and the university.”

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