Biden requires health insurers to cover the cost of at-home COVID-19 tests amid growing concern over the Omicron variant

• Biden on Thursday required health insurers to cover the cost of at-home COVID-19 tests.
• Those who aren't covered by private insurance can find free tests at health centers, Biden said.

President Joe Biden announced Thursday that health insurers must pay for at-home COVID-19 testing and that the government would make free tests available for those not covered by private insurance.

"Today, I announced that health insurers must cover the cost of at-home COVID testing," Biden said. "For those not covered by private insurance, we will make available free tests at thousands of locations like rural clinics and community health centers for folks to pick up and test at home."

The Biden administration has been expanding COVID-19 health policies and guidance amid growing concern over the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. Earlier this week, California reported its first case of the variant, which marked the first known Omicron infection in the US. South Africa first reported the variant to the World Health Organization on November 24.

"We're going to fight this variant with science and speed, not chaos and confusion," the president said at the National Institutes of Health.

In a statement released by the White House, the Biden administration said it was "on track" to quadruple the supply of rapid at-home tests compared with the number in late summer.

"Today's actions will help Americans access the tests they need to help them stop the spread of COVID-19 to others," the White House added.