CVS, Walgreens remove COVID-19 test purchasing limits
CVS, Amazon and Walgreens previously placed purchasing limits on tests
CVS and Walgreens are no longer limiting the number of over-the-counter coronavirus at-home tests consumers can purchase at their stores.
"We’ve worked with our vendors to increase inventory of OTC COVID-19 tests and have removed all product limits on those products at CVS Pharmacy locations nationwide and on CVS.com," a CVS spokesperson told FOX Business.
Although CVS said never ran out of stock, some areas had strained inventory as cases, driven by the omicron variant, mounted.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVS | CVS HEALTH CORP. | 58.01 | +0.91 | +1.59% |
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Likewise, a Walgreens spokesperson told FOX Business that it has worked with suppliers in order to ensure the company has "enough supply to meet customer demand at nearly all locations."
"Due to the improved in-stock conditions of at-home COVID-19 testing products, we have removed the purchase limit and we’ve reinstated Same Day Delivery and Pickup solutions for customers," the spokesperson said.
In December, CVS and Walgreens announced a limit on the amount of at-home tests customers can purchase due to the omicron variant, which is now the dominant variant in the U.S.
A sign promoting drive-thru coronavirus (COVID-19) tests at CVS Pharmacy on May 15, 2020 in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. ((Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) / Getty Images)
At the time, CVS customers were limited to six at-home test kits per purchase of its five over-the-counter offerings, including Abbott BinaxNOW, Acon FlowFlex, Quidel Quickvue, Ellume, and Pixel by LabCorp.
Walgreens had implemented a four-item purchase limit on-at-home COVID-19 testing products in its stores and digital properties as it worked with suppliers to improve its inventory.
Now, not only is there no longer a limit on the number of tests a consumer can purchase but the tests are also covered by most insurance policies.
The Biden administration announced in January that private health insurers will be required to cover up to eight home COVID-19 tests per month for people on their plans.
Americans will be able to either purchase home testing kits for free under their insurance or submit receipts for the tests for reimbursement, up to the monthly per-person limit.
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"Particularly, in the early stages of this program, we strongly encourage customers to save their receipt(s) as they may need to submit them to their insurer," the spokesperson added.
FOX Business' Julia Musto and Lucas Manfredi contributed to this report.