Many people automatically assume that they need insurance for any type of medical procedure, and this includes STD testing. Experts recommend people get tested once a year at minimum, and even more frequently than that if they have new sexual partners or engage in unprotected sex. What you may not realize is that just because insurance covers STD testing, in some cases doesn’t mean that it’s the ideal option. In fact, there are several reasons why you may want to opt to pay privately for testing.
Most people operate under the assumption that by going through their insurance, they’re going to pay the least for their testing. Not necessarily. Depending on your plan and how comprehensive it is, you may end up having to cover expenses like doctor’s fees, administrative costs, and your lab-testing session. Different clinical practices have different policies, so you may not be sure what costs you are responsible for. In some cases, if you don’t have obvious symptoms, your insurance company may not even pay for your testing at all.
Once you get tested through your insurance, the results of your test, as well as the fact that you had a test done, are going to be available to your provider. In addition, you will have a bill sent for your results by the lab. This can be embarrassing for some, and potentially discourage some individuals from getting STD testing, like sexually active teens.
When your insurance provider has access to your STD testing results, they will automatically report said results to the Medical Information Bureau (MIB) database. This could potentially be used to raise your insurance costs in the future, essentially penalizing you for trying to be responsible about your health.
There are existing means for people to get STD testing without insurance, and one of the most common options you hear about are free clinics. However, even for people with limited means and no insurance, free clinics for STD testing can cause a problem. For example, clinics with free services may not be conveniently located, forcing you to adjust your schedule to get testing done. Compounding these issues is the fact that free clinics are often very crowded and lacking in privacy, which can be difficult when dealing with something as sensitive as STD testing. In addition, free clinics aren’t intended for everyone. You may need to prove that your income falls below a certain range and that you have no medical coverage to qualify for free testing. So, for people with insurance who want privacy, they may not be viable candidates, and for people without insurance, there may be so many other roadblocks that they are deterred from getting testing altogether. There need to be other alternatives.
STDtest.com helps by taking the logistic and privacy concerns out of your STD testing. Online or on the phone, we can help guide you to the testing options and payment options that best fit your situation. You can then head to one of our thousands of convenient lab locations nationwide for your actual test—no more clinic lines or embarrassing talks with your doctor. You will usually get your test results via email in 3 business days or less, and we have doctors on-hand to help with any follow-up questions you have.
Your health information is protected by strict federal and state privacy laws, and we use industry standard practices to ensure the security of that information. Get Tested Now
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