I don’t have insurance, unfortunately. So Including the blood tests, biopsy (given that it’s needed) and any other of that fun stuff, does anyone know about how much it’ll cost?
Posted on September 27th, 2009 by Bob
Filed under: Celiac Disease in Children
The biopsy would very expensive because it requires sedation and is usually done in the out-patient part of the hospital.
The blood test for antibodies runs around $76. My insurance didn’t want to pay for it for my daughter who tested negative but would pay for it for me and my other daughter when we tested positive.
In your case, I would just get the blood test done for now. If it is positive, try the gluten-free diet and see if it works. If it is negative, you can re-evaluate plans. The blood test and biopsy are usually both done to confirm the diagnosis. No-one wants to go on this diet unless they have to because it is difficult and expensive. Since you have no insurance, the positive blood-test may be enough to convince you to try the diet. You can always get the biopsy done later when you have insurance but it would mean going back to eating gluten.
In my limited experience, all three family members that had positive blood tests also had positive biopsies. Two of us had the blood test first and one had the biopsy first.
Well you can do a home test for around $30.
You can do the genetic testing through the attached web site. The best bet is to call a couple of local doctors and ask them how much they would charge for the various things. If after you shop around and money is a problem, try a gluten free diet and if your symtoms go away, then you will have your answer. The problem with that is that you won’t have a definitive diagnosis from a doctor.