New Company Offers Low-Cost Blood Tests, Aiming To Help The Uninsured
The early detection through blood tests of many serious diseases, especially cancer, is the key factor to have a chance of overcoming them, but for those not covered by insurance --44 million Americans, with another 38 million with inadequate coverage, according to several reports-- the costs of those very tests are a major obstacle.
For the uninsured, the cost of a blood test can go from $100 to over $3,000. It’s at least $1,500 every year. That’s a cost many uninsured, generally in the low-income job sector, could have a hard time affording. A company based in Houston is trying to help with that.
Link2Labs, founded in 2007 by Wayne Gosbee, offers 167 blood tests at prices ranging from $3 to $100, with links to some important study labs in the Texas area. The company is trying to expand to most of the continental United States.
Anyone who needs a blood test can choose from one of the 167 offered at Link2Labs’ website and pay online. They can then select one of the facilities closest to their zip code to take the test, which will
“This is an easy, affordable health care solution for anyone who isn’t covered”, Gosbee said. “Think of how much prevention can be done with early detection of a number of diseases, including hepatitis”.
The company has
They also offer tests for sexually transmitted disease detection, including HIV, and tests that can help detect testicular, ovarian and liver cancer, where early detection can be crucial for a successful treatment.
