PSI Sci
New here? Follow the money and the votes · Not sure of your district? Find your U.S. House member · Find your state legislators

S. 3499: Free COVID–19 Testing Act

Before you vote › Federal bills

S. 3499: Free COVID–19 Testing Act

116th Congress · introduced 2020-03-12 · Health · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2020-03-12 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Free COVID–19 Testing Act

Plain summary

Free COVID–19 Testing Act This bill requires specified public health care programs and private health insurance to cover testing for COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) without imposing cost-sharing (e.g., deductibles, coinsurance, or copayments) for the duration of the public health emergency declared on January 31, 2020. This coverage includes the cost of administering such approved tests and related visits to health care providers. Specifically, these requirements apply to COVID-19 testing and office visits for individuals covered through (1) Medicare, (2) Medicare Advantage, (3) Medicaid, (4) the Children's Health Insurance Program, (5) the Department of Defense (i.e., TRICARE), (6) the Department of Veterans Affairs, (7) the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, or (8) the Indian Health Service. Additionally, state Medicaid programs may cover COVID-19 testing and related visits for uninsured individuals during the emergency, and the Department of Health and Human Services must reimburse laboratories for the cost of such tests.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Free COVID–19 Testing Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN] · 42 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Gary C. Peters (D-MI), Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Patty Murray (D-WA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Christopher Murphy (D-CT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Angus S. King, Jr. (I-ME), Christopher A. Coons (D-DE), Cory A. Booker (D-NJ), Margaret Wood Hassan (D-NH), Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Michael F. Bennet (D-CO), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jeff Merkley (D-OR)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN] reported raising $48,878 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong116-s3499 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116