While health insurance companies on a whole aren’t known for their generosity, they do provide certain basic services for patients with fundamental medical needs. One such benefit includes the coverage of STD testing as authorized by an appropriate health care professional. While patient copayments are sometimes necessary as part of the process, most insurance companies will cover, at the very least, the majority of the cost of STD testing, requiring patients to only pay modest fees in exchange for such a vital service.
Of course, the problem with insurance-covered STD testing is that it exposes patients to the possibility of having their identities reported in the event that they are found to be infected with certain STDs. To avoid this problem, some private companies like getSTDtested.com allow for confidential STD testing, but those tend to come with a cost. Since such companies generally work by passing more of the cost of the testing process onto their customers, those looking for answers about their health can be put in a tricky predicament. Do they get tested at little to no cost through their insurance companies and run the risk of having their privacy compromised, or do they get tested through private companies but pay a premium for privacy?
As the founder and CEO of getSTDtested.com, Tracey Powell understands that it can be a rather difficult question, especially depending on the financial circumstances of the person needing to make the decision. The pricing structure at getSTDtested.com provides reasonable fees for STD testing, including significant discounts based on the number of tests administered. However, Powell acknowledges the fact that the cost of getting tested through getSTDtested.com can exceed that of insurance company copays.
Still, it is important that customers recognize the non-monetary value inherent in services provided by companies such as getSTDtested.com. GetSTDtested.com has its own unique methods in place of protecting customers’ privacy. While customers can benefit from the convenience associated with online test ordering and, where applicable, at-home test sample collecting, the goal of getSTDtested.com is to allow customers to learn the truth about their health in a manner that promises confidentiality. Insurance companies, on the other hand, are pretty much guaranteed to cast patient privacy concerns aside in the event that test results need to be reported. Customers must come to terms with the fact that they can’t have it both ways. If a patient’s priority in the testing process is the protection of his privacy, then it makes sense for him to use the services provided by getSTDtested.com. However, if privacy is less of a concern, then from a financial perspective, insurance company testing might be the better way to go.
Now, if a customer decides that he wants to use getSTDtested.com mostly for the convenience factor, then he does have every right to ask the company for an invoice, which he can then submit to his insurance company. While getSTDtested.com does not work directly with insurance companies, their paperwork enables customers to get reimbursed easily for STD testing. The medical professionals at getSTDtested.com use the same test coding as any other doctor would; so insurance companies should have no trouble interpreting patient invoices and offering reimbursement accordingly.
After all is said and done, when it comes to STD testing, patients with health insurance have a choice; they can either pay a little extra for confidentiality, or save themselves some money but run the risk of having their identities reported in conjunction with the findings of STDs. Sure, it might be a difficult decision to make, but consider one thing; bank accounts can be replenished, but once certain health information about you is out there, there’s nothing that you can do to take it back. The next time you’re faced with such a choice, remember that “free” STD testing comes at a different type of cost, and that it’s not always easy to put a price tag on privacy.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.
