✅ Last verified 2026-05-17. The federal COVID-19 public health emergency ended May 2023. Several free-test programs have since ended or been suspended. This guide reflects what is actually available in May 2026.
What's still free in 2026
- Medi-Cal members: 8 free at-home tests per person, per calendar month, from any pharmacy counter. [Source: medi-calrx.dhcs.ca.gov (accessed 2026-05-17)]
- Nevada County Public Health: free over-the-counter test kits if you're uninsured, underinsured, or have trouble getting tests elsewhere. Call (530) 265-7258 or email PublicHealth@nevadacountyca.gov. [Source: nevadacountyca.gov/2979/Get-Tested (accessed 2026-05-17)]
- Private insurance: the federal mandate to cover 8 tests/month ended May 11, 2023. Some plans still cover tests — call the member services number on your card and ask.
- Medicare: coverage varies by plan. Call your plan to confirm before you pay.
What ended
- USPS free home delivery (covidtests.gov / special.usps.com/testkits): the federal program was suspended on March 9, 2025 and remains suspended as of May 2026. The order page is offline. [Source: axios.com/2025/03/10/free-covid-test-program-suspended (accessed 2026-05-17)]
- Sesame's free California COVID provider program ((833) 686-5051) ended with the public health emergency. Sesame is now a paid telehealth service.
- Private insurance reimbursement mandate for at-home tests ended May 11, 2023.
How to get a free test in Nevada County
If you have Medi-Cal
- Bring the Medi-Cal card for each person who needs a test.
- Go to a pharmacy or a store with a pharmacy (CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Raley's, Safeway, Walmart, etc.).
- Go to the prescription drop-off counter — not the regular checkout.
- Show the card and ask for 8 at-home COVID-19 antigen tests per person.
- There is no copay. You can do this once per calendar month per person.
[Source: medi-calrx.dhcs.ca.gov 2024.09 COVID-19 Antigen OTC Test Coverage Update (accessed 2026-05-17)]
If you have no insurance or limited access
Call the Nevada County COVID-19 Nurse Line: (530) 265-7258. They can arrange free at-home antigen tests. You can also email PublicHealth@nevadacountyca.gov or call (530) 470-2741.
You can also try picking up a test in person at:
Western Nevada County Public Health
500 Crown Point Circle, Suite 110
Grass Valley, CA 95945
(530) 265-1450
Call first to confirm tests are in stock before driving over.
If you have private insurance
Most plans no longer cover at-home tests for free, but some still do. Before you pay, call the member services number on the back of your card and ask:
- "Do you still cover at-home COVID antigen tests?"
- "If yes, how many per month, and do I get them at the pharmacy or by reimbursement?"
If your plan reimburses, save the receipt and the test box UPC.
Paid testing options (last resort)
If you need a test today and the free options don't work, at-home antigen tests cost about $10–$15 each at:
- CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Raley's, Safeway, Walmart, Target, and most grocery stores
- Amazon and other online retailers
Lab PCR tests (for travel, work, or a doctor's order) are available at:
- Quest Diagnostics — by appointment, charged to insurance or self-pay
- CVS MinuteClinic (Marysville, Roseville)
- Walgreens (Grass Valley, Auburn, Reno)
Testing through your doctor or clinic
If you have a regular doctor, call them first — many offer in-office testing or can send a test to a lab on your insurance.
Local low-cost / sliding-scale clinics that may offer testing:
Call ahead to confirm testing is available.
If you test positive
Nevada County has a separate guidance page on what to do next:
If you are over 50, immunocompromised, or have a chronic condition, ask a doctor about Paxlovid within the first 5 days of symptoms. Medi-Cal covers it.
Where to get help
Nevada County Health and Human Services Agency
Ryan Gruver, Director
950 Maidu Avenue, Suite 120
Nevada City, CA 95959
Hours: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday–Friday
Nevada County COVID-19 Nurse Line: (530) 265-7258
Public Health email: PublicHealth@nevadacountyca.gov / (530) 470-2741
Sources
- nevadacountyca.gov/2979/Get-Tested (accessed 2026-05-17)
- medi-calrx.dhcs.ca.gov — COVID-19 Antigen OTC Test Coverage Update, October 2024 (accessed 2026-05-17)
- axios.com/2025/03/10/free-covid-test-program-suspended (accessed 2026-05-17)
- cdph.ca.gov COVID-19 Coverage Changes (accessed 2026-05-17)