Get tested?

March 22, 2009 2:31 PM

Individual health insurance and sti. What to do?

I've read through this question, which is kind of related, but it doesn't really seem to answer the question. Anyways, I have an annoying rash that's popped up on my inner-leg, don't know what it is. Never had anything like it before. I want to have it checked out, and get checked for an sti, but I do worry about insurance ramifications if a test comes back positive.

Should I go to my primary care physician, or a health clinic type place to get checked out and tested? What would the difference be, would it matter? I'm assuming my insurance will know about how the test comes back either way, yes? Will I be dropped from my insurance, or premiums increased? Will it be near impossible to get insurance in the future if a positive test comes back? Also, hypothetical question, I'm not seeing anyone, don't really plan on it for the near future, is it a terrible idea to just ignore it? I have individual insurance, and I know insurance differs greatly across the country, but some general advice on not freaking out would be very much appreciated.

posted by anonymous to health & fitness (5 comments total)

Go to Planned Parenthood and let them take care of you-- regardless of gender, they're there to provide testing and treatment. An untreated STD can lead to serious health complications.

You could even call your local PP anonymously and ask if you can opt not to use your insurance, because you have privacy concerns.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 2:38 PM on March 22

By all means, get it checked out.

1) it might not be an sti
2) most stis clear up with antibiotics, so your insurance company won't care
posted by abirae at 3:49 PM on March 22

If you have a rash on your inner leg near your crotch, it could be jock itch. I had no idea what that was the when I had a bout of it a few years ago. You might try an anti-fungal cream and see if it goes away. (Unless you are familiar with JI already and know that's not it.)

To your main question: I'm not an insurance expert, but I doubt that an easily treatable infection is going to affect your premiums significantly even if you do have an STD. It's the stuff that costs a lot of money to deal with and never goes away that will make them nervous.
posted by Pater Aletheias at 3:49 PM on March 22

from what i understand, the insurance company will probably never know your diagnosis for routine tests. i just had to have a chest x-ray, but i doubt that my insurance company knows why, just that a doctor ordered it. does that make sense? when you're prescribed something like antibiotics, the insurance company doesn't know that it's because you have an STI or a UTI or whatever else. i could be wrong about this, but i don't see why they would care about your STI as long as it's treatable in a standard fashion (i.e. not HIV).
posted by itsacover at 9:27 PM on March 23

(and i hope it goes without saying that i was not making a judgment about HIV, just that it would require more treatment than, say, gonhorrea.)
posted by itsacover at 9:28 PM on March 23