Getting Tested....$!!!!

[MichaelAdams1993]

Ok, so in the past year I have become sexually active, I have decided that I am going to start getting tested for the usual STDs/STIs and I have a small problem. I don't want to involve my mom unless something is discovered and the situation becomes.....critical. However, one thing I am not quite sure about is how the test(s) will be paid for, I plan on talking to my doctor (provided it will be kept confidential) during my next physical appt. The appt will be covered by my mom and the insurance I believe, so wouldn't the tests therefore then be discovered when she is billed or when the inusrance is?

Someone please explain to me how I can keep my mom safely in the dark unless necessary.....

[jameshotti12boy]

Idk i would check like a family planning clinic they are confidential

[trouble]

Idk i would check like a family planning clinic they are confidential

agreed, If your insurance covers those tests, i dont think you need your mom with you, maybe you can get another family member which you trust to go with you and sign.

[peaceloverugby]

I would not plan on getting tested AT the physical, they take some prior planning unless you go to a clinic that does them frequently. But I would think you would need to make a separate appointment with your GP, so he can gather the necessary items. Sooooo if you don't want to make that second appointment, you could go to a family-planning clinic such as Planned Parenthood, they should test you rather discretly. If you're near a major city, there might even be free anonymous testing at some clinics.

Side note: thank you for getting tested. That shows real maturity on your part. Well done.

[MichaelAdams1993]

Ok, now I have researched a little and I think I will go to the closest Planned Parenthood Center, what I can't find is how much it will cost, even on the page for the specific center...what is the average or "tops" amount that testing can cost. I know it probably varies from test to test and from method to method and place to place, but I feel like I'm in the dark and I need to know some type of ballpark number about how much it will cost me.

Thanks everyone for your help so far, and thanks peaceloverugby for the side note :)

[Undie_guy]

Did you have unprotected sex?

Was the other person someone you know or anonomous?

If you're in metro Detroit or even GR I am pretty sure there are places that cater the gay community and providing testing for free to curb the spread of disease.

Also, use condoms whenever you have sex.

Does your mom know you're gay or is that one of the reasons you want it to be on the down low?

[Hezzy]

go give blood, that way it is free and they will scan it for you to check for these things

[peaceloverugby]

go give blood, that way it is free and they will scan it for you to check for these things

That's not a good idea. If you do have a STD/STI, there is a small chance that the test could give a false negative, and then whoever receives that transfusion would become infected. While the likelihood of a false negative is tiny, it is still there, so it would be better to not put others at risk of infection. Also, 16 year olds need parental permission to donate blood. You'd be better off going to a clinic. It doesn't matter how much money you save, it's not worth putting another person at risk of infection.

[mememe]

Nearly every state has a free clinic that will test you for STDs/STIs. Try the public health departments website

[Patchy]

Family planning clinics are drop in centres usually and will always keep things that are tested/discussed private unless they think you are being abused etc.

It is very easy to be tested and I'm sure a simple google search will found the nearest one.

[Impact13]

wow im actually inspired that teens our age are thinking with your state of mind of getting tested, just imagine the lives it sav es . As for the confidentiality part it is kinda hard, doctors should make it more easier to do so without the embarrassment of you parents knowing; thats mainly the reason teens dont get tested.

[Antares]

Well from what I have read and such about this topic, you should have limited privacy.
So if you go in for something and you don't want your parent to know, then the doctor doesn't always tell.
However, if the parent needs to make a decision regarding your health, then they need to know.
So for instance, if you actually contracted a disease and need treatment, they need to know. But if you just went in to get something tested or to ask a question, the parent doesn't need to know.

Another factor is the insurance piece, sometimes she will maybe need to present ID or something or pay the copay with a credit card or something like that. I am not sure what the practices are at your clinic but you should know that you may not be able to be seen without her.

So if I were you, I would ask the doctor how the privacy works with them and if he says he has to tell your parent, just man up and let her know :P

Better safe than sorry

[MichaelAdams1993]

Ok, so if I go to a Planned Parenthood Clinic is it a free clinic? Does that mean that I won't have to pay for STD Testing?

[DanielBoy]

Talk to the doctor and explain your situation. If you ask the question, and tell him to keep it between you and him he will. It is not against the law for him to tell your mom, but there is no real reason for him to tell her unless something turns up. He can tell ALLOT about STDs with a physical exam, and if nothing turns up and you want your piece of mind, they have free clinics that don't require a parent to get the tests. Nobody wants teens to have or unknowingly spread STDs. Hence the free clinics.

[MichaelAdams1993]

Um people, the question wasn't how to get tested, the question is how to pay for it!!!!!

[Trackstar29]

Lol, this sounds reallly complicated. You may need your mom or dad to help you