August 31, 2007

Lab tests cost!

I was finally assigned a new doctor, after the former one moved back to the mainland to care for his or his wife's aging parents. As part of her "getting to know you" drill, she ordered several lab tests.

  • Transferase; aspartate A -- liver function
  • Creatinine; blood - kidney function
  • Glucose; quantitative B - blood sugar
  • Lipid panel - cholesterol levels
  • Electrolyte panel - fluid balance
  • PSA - prostate specific antigen level
  • uric acid; blood - for my gout tendency

And my co-pay for all this? $94.46

Maybe not so bad for someone whose company pays for the bulk of the monthly premium, but that someone ain't me. It's on top of the $300 per month I pay in dues.

Is it any wonder people are reluctant to go to doctors until they have to?

Update: The blood was taken at about 11:00am. When I checked my e-mail after dinner this evening I had a notice that the results for four of the seven tests were accessible at my personal pages at the Kaiser website. Cool, huh?

Posted by Linkmeister at August 31, 2007 01:42 PM | TrackBack
Comments

I failed my PSA test.

Posted by: Karan at August 31, 2007 06:50 PM

Yeah, well, people often do. It's not a real good test, which is why if you fail it they often do it again. Did they?

Posted by: Linkmeister at August 31, 2007 07:47 PM

Yes, it seems that I had no prostate gland. Go figure.

Posted by: Karan at September 1, 2007 03:48 AM

I wish my blood results were available on line. I have to call the doc's office and then they fax it to me-if they have the time.
Your tests are cheaper than mine, Linky. I have to pay $65 just to sit my rear end in the doctor's office and have the lab tech take my blood!!!
All the tests ordered are very important to determine your health status-
I am so glad you had them done!!
Stay healthy-I want you around for a long time!!!!!!

Posted by: toxiclabrat at September 2, 2007 01:33 PM