Lyme Tests Covered by Insurance?

As many Lymies know, Igenex is the lab of choice for the most accurate detection of active Bb (Borrelia burdorferi), and coinfections. National labs such as LabCorp and Quest just don't offer the same testing procedures that many LLMD's say are necessary for detecting signs of infection. However, insurance companies often do not cover Igenex testing. Furthermore, a full Lyme panel can run upwards of $800. You can skimp and just get tested for Bb (IgG and IgM) for a couple of hundred dollars. However, testing for coinfections, along with having a good LLMD examine you and interview you about your symptoms can be very helpful in determining effective treatment protocols.

However, don't despair.  There are labs other than Igenex that do more sophisticated testing than LabCorp or Quest, and that do take insurance:

This is information provided to me just a few days ago by a helpful and well-informed Lymie named Hootan:

Medical Diagnostic Labs
1-877-269-0090
Ask for a Vector Borne Diseases Patient Kit, they will ship it to you & you will take it to your doctor to have the blood drawn.  It tests for Bartonella, Babesia, Erlichia, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever & several strains of Lyme Disease.  It utilizes ELISA's & PCR's.  They also do the C6 Peptide.  So it doesn't just rely on antibodies. Ask to talk to billing to see if they accept your insurance.  They reportedly take Anthem Blue Cross. They also have Candida testing.  Check their online test menu.

Stonybrook
631-444-3824
Reports are that they only test for Lyme Disease, not co-infections.  They do an ELISA, Western  Blot, & C6 Peptide testing. Contact the billing department to see if they accept your insurance: 

631-444-4151
Call & request a test kit.

Imugen 
(website is not working but lists phone numbers)
781-255-0770
They test for both Lyme Disease & Co-infections
Call to see if they take your insurance.  I have a call in to the sales rep to see exactly what tests are run. The receptionist told me they do Bb PCR, Western Blots, and coinfection testing for Babesia, Ehrlichea, and Bartonella.

North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Sciences (NCSU-CVM)

An added point is that I was encouraged by my LLMD to have Bartonella testing done by a lab in North Carolina that was started by a veterinarian, based on sophisticated testing methodology. I opted to do this. I ended up getting a free 9-strain Bartonella test done! (This is a much more complete test than the usual, which tests only for a few strains.) Here's how: The tests were originally developed for animals, at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Sciences (NCSU-CVM), and later adapted for humans and commercialized by Galaxy Diagnostics. I sent my specimen to Galaxy (with a hefty payment of about $600, if memory serves). However, I lucked out because the payment was refunded when I opted to be part of a study at NCSU-CVM.  I had to fill out an 11-page questionnaire, but it was worth it. Check their tick-borne disease lab. They may be interested in more human serology testing. 

   

For a bit more info about insurance, check Sonya's Lyme blog:

• http://sonyafightslyme.blogspot.com/2011/05/lyme-labs-that-accept-insurance.html#more

For more about alternative and less expensive labs, check the Lyme Policy Wonk article here:

• http://www.lymedisease.org/news/touchedbylyme/labtests.html