L.A. County Pushes for Insurance Coverage of STD Tests

Los Angeles County is urging healthcare providers to ask patients if they have insurance that can cover the costs of STD tests in order to save public funds for other services. The county has long contracted with community organizations to conduct STD testing, but now wants them to check if clients have insurance that can pay for the tests. This move aims to offset the costs of providing free care to the uninsured and address the rise in STD cases. However, some groups argue that this change undermines efforts to make testing easy and routine, as it may deter individuals from getting tested due to privacy concerns or potential out-of-pocket costs. California lawmakers are considering legislation to prohibit insurance plans from imposing out-of-pocket costs for STD screenings.