Most thyroid conditions go undiagnosed and it is simply because they are often overlooked. Most of the times, they symptoms are merely dismissed as depression, aging or lifestyle-related ‘little’ issues. Other reasons of not getting a test may include the following:
- You are not covered with a medical insurance and can’t afford to pay for a test.
- Your doctor does not think that you have a thyroid problem or condition.
- You are pregnant and require more successive testing but your insurance isn’t complying.
- You are an HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) and your doctor is discouraging test for cost-cutting measure.
You may have other reasons not mentioned above and it does not alter the fact that you cannot perform the necessary tests with your doctor. Here are the necessary details that you must know in order to get the tests you need.
Direct-to-Consumer Laboratory Testing
In most of the states in the U.S., you can have laboratory tests even without a particular order from your doctor. We call this ‘direct-to-consumer’ laboratory testing from where you can order and pay for the tests. You can take the lab requisition form after payment to the same local medical testing laboratories that your doctors use and have your blood drawn and/or sample your urine.
As we mentioned, “most” of the states provide this kind of assistance but there are some that do not. The list below shows the states that prohibit direct-to-consumer laboratory testing.
- Maryland
- Rhode Island
- New Jersey
- New York
Some direct-to-consumer laboratories use the services of Labcorb laboratories for testing of which there are certain states that do not have Labcorp in them:
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Massachusetts
- Hawaii
Precaution
Remember that ordering your own tests does not substitute for proper evaluation by a doctor or medical professional. Medical tests are interpreted more accurately by a physician or healthcare professional. Any test results that are labeled as “out of range” or abnormal should be consulted immediately with your doctor.