UPDATES: Q&A, Medication News, COBRA and Insurance Zoom Seminars
Antibody Testing: Why and How
Our client and friend Tim Thoelecke, owner of InOut Labs in Morton Grove was featured in an article about antibody testing in the Skokie Review. We followed up with some questions for him.
Q: What is antibody testing?
A: Antibodies are the body’s immune response. Though we do not know whether antibodies provide any protection from reinfection, plasma from people who’ve had COVID-19 and have antibodies is being used to treat COVID patients.
Q: Who is asking to be tested?
A: Individuals include people who know they’ve had COVID-19 and wish to donate their blood if it contains antibodies; people who have been in contact with others like family members who had COVID-19 and wonder if they had it with no symptoms; and people who had symptoms but never got tested and want to know if they had it. Also, employers are looking for a way to know who in their work force is now protected naturally from the virus and to make their employees more comfortable about coming back to work.
Q: What’s the test like?
A: At this time, it’s a blood test. But 42% of finger-stick tests have been pulled by the FDA as being unreliable. So all private and hospital labs are looking at all data at this time. Home Antibody tests are illegal.
Q: Will my insurance cover it?
A: The CARES Act specifies a process for private health insurance plans to pay providers of the COVID-19 tests including the Antibody test. Blue Cross says the test must be ordered by an in-network physician and deemed medically necessary.It’s important to check with your insurance before having the test. InOut labs doesn’t take insurance but can help you put in a claim. To find out more go to https://www.inoutlabs.com/blog/covid-19-antibody-testing-insurance-coverage-and-the-cares-act/
InOut Labs 6449 Dempster St. Morton Grove IL By appointment 8:30am-4pm Monday-Friday 847-657-7900 Cost $225 per test
Can you say “Pharmacogenomics”?
It’s the new art of using genetics to help deliver the right drug with the right dosage the first time.
This new approach to prescribing combines genetic testing with the power of Electronic Medical Records. It takes information doctors never had before and matches it to computer data bases eliminating the trial and error doctors used to have to go through to match medicine to a particular patient.
In addition to looking at what medication a person is currently taking and their diet, occupation, lifestyle, with pharmacogenomics, doctors have a patient’s unique DNA to work with. They can identify medications that are more suitable for the patient’s needs based on how their body uniquely responds to a drug. They can see what may be different from what’s commonly seen in the majority patient population.
Doctors will know sooner how to begin a winning treatment.
ZOOM into COBRA and Private Health Insurance Help
Lost your job and health insurance? We’re holding free ZOOM seminars on COBRA and Health Insurance Alternatives every Monday afternoon at 1pm. They’re the same seminars we give for national outplacement services. Of course, you can call us at any time for this information, but if you want to ZOOM, send an email to rbloomfield@jpearlsteinltd.com and we’ll send you the link.