The portal is open! Get your free federal COVID-19 tests

Overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, the federal government made good on President Biden administration's launch of the website where people can order four free COVID-19 home testing kits and have them shipped directly to their household.

The website www.CovidTests.gov was in what the administration called a "beta phase" late Tuesday before formally rolling out Wednesday morning.

Here's what to know:

• The tests are FREE.
• According to the government, they will ship within 10 days or the end of January.
• Each household (address) can order ONE set of FOUR (4) at-home tests, to be delivered by the U.S. Postal Service.
• These are the anitgen (rapid) nasal-swab tests.

Last month, Biden announced the plan would make half a billion tests available free to Americans, as the Omicron variant began sweeping quickly across the country right before Christmas.

In addition, most people with a health plan can go online, or to a pharmacy or store to purchase an at-home over-the-counter COVID-19 diagnostic test authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at no cost, either through reimbursement or free of charge through their insurance. This applies whether you purchased your health plan on your own or whether you get health insurance through your job.If your plan has set up a network of preferred providers at which you can obtain a test with no out-of-pocket expense, you can still obtain tests from other retailers outside that network. Insurance companies are required to reimburse you at a rate of up to $12 per individual test (or the cost of the test, if less than $12).

See the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services website for full details.