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CostHelper.com > Health & Personal Care  > Pap Test

Pap Test Cost

How Much Does a Pap Test Cost?

low cost With Insurance Coverage: Sometimes co-pays or deductibles
low cost Without Insurance: $25-$75

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Pap tests, used to detect precancerous changes in the uterine cervix, are recommended every three years for women, starting three years after the first sexual intercourse or no later than age 21.
 
Typical costs:
  • For those not covered by health insurance, a conventional Pap test usually costs $25 to $40 and a liquid-based Pap test -- sometimes referred to by the brand name ThinPrep -- costs $45 to $60, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Many states require insurance companies to cover regular Pap tests. The National Women's Law Center offers a state-by-state chart.
  • For patients covered by insurance, out-of-pocket costs typically range from zero to the full fee, depending on the deductible and co-pays. A Medicare patient whose deductible has not been met would pay the full $75 fee at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. However, some insurance plans, such as this Aetna plan and the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Community Blue PPO plan, cover "wellness" screenings 100 percent, with no deductible or co-pay, usually with some restrictions.
What should be included:
  • Usually after performing a pelvic exam, the doctor or clinician uses a scraper or small brush to collect a sample of cervical cells.
  • In a conventional Pap test, the cells are placed on a slide and sent to a laboratory for analysis.
  • In the liquid-based Pap test, the collection device is rinsed into a vial containing a special solution, then sent to a laboratory. There it is filtered or centrifuged to separate out the cells, which are mechanically mixed to create a more uniform sample.
  • The liquid-based Pap test has been found to allow for slightly better diagnoses and fewer false negatives, so most tests in the United States are liquid-based, but the conventional test still is considered adequate as well. The National Cervical Cancer Coalition offers a comparison of the conventional test and the liquid-based test.
  • The National Cancer Institute offers a Q&A on Pap tests.
Additional costs:
  • About six percent of Pap tests show some abnormality that requires follow-up testing. Further testing can include another Pap test, testing for the human papillomavirus -- a common sexually transmitted virus, some strains of which can lead to cancer -- or an examination of the vagina with a microscope-like instrument or a biopsy.
  • Not all abnormal results mean cancer. The National Cancer Institute offers a guide to abnormal Pap test results.
Discounts:
Shopping for a pap test:
  • If you have health insurance, consult with your gynecologist or health clinic to schedule a pelvic exam and Pap test.
  • Otherwise, call your local health department. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services offers more resources for finding low-cost or free Pap tests.
Material on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Always consult your physician or pharmacist regarding medications or medical procedures.
 
Article updated March 2008
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Recent Posts
Amount: $339.00 Pap IG, HPV-hr
Posted by: A Boschen in Orlando, FL.Purchased: September, 2008
Clinic or Doctor: LabCorpInsurance Carrier: self-pay
Type of Policy: n/a
charges seemed unusually high, I'm trying to find inforamtion to see if this is out of line with the norm. Very difficult to find cost comparison data on healthcare. I appreciate the few details this site offers.
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Amount: $339.00 Pap IG and HPV hr
Posted by: Jan Becker in Red Bluff, CA.Purchased: July, 2008
Clinic or Doctor: LabCorpInsurance Carrier: None
Type of Policy: N/A
This bill--sent 3 months later--came as quite a shock. I'm trying to find out how much the HPV hr test is. Internet sites keep referring to it as "an affordable alternative," but I've found no specific figures for comparison.
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Amount: $339.00 price
Posted by: j in Homewood, IL.Purchased: November, 2008
Clinic or Doctor: Nepomuceno AssociatesInsurance Carrier: Blue Cross
Type of Policy: PPO
My doctor charged me $339.00 just for the pap and another $145.00 for the office visit. My policy from Walmart only covers a max of 60 dollars for both combined leaving me an outragious balance. The pap was inconclusive also and I was told I had to pay. Why does it say the average is around 76 dollars?
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Amount: $238.00 Pap test
Posted by: Aeon in Lewes, DE.Purchased: July, 2007
Clinic or Doctor: Bayside Health, DEInsurance Carrier: self pay
I paid Bayside Health $238 on the day. I already thought this to be a high price but paid it. Then I receive an unexpected bill from labcorp saying to get my results I need to then pay them another 115! Holding my results to ransom. $353 is an outrageous amount to have to pay! Ladies, we are being probed and then ripped off! Double charged by two different companies! What is going on? It's scandalous.
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Amount: $544.00 Pap, HPV, Ct-Ng
Posted by: a user in West Palm Beach, FL.Purchased: January, 2009
Clinic or Doctor: LabCorpInsurance Carrier: No Insurance
Type of Policy: Uninsured
I too am completely shocked at the cost of the lab bill for my yearly pap. My doctor used LabCorp. In comparing the cost from my Oct.2006 lab expense, I paid $58 for the pap and $30 for the HPV and $30 for Ct-Ng compared to today's bill, 1/2009 for $544. When I called LabCorp they extended a discount to $460 if I paid today. I refused to pay any amount close to that, it can go to collections until they come close to the reasonable amount of $118.
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Amount: $544.00 Lab Fee for Pap Test
Posted by: JB Indiana in Fowler, IN.Purchased: November, 2009
Clinic or Doctor: Fowler ClinicInsurance Carrier: UHC
Type of Policy: PPO Network
I was shocked when I saw the lab for a simple PAP lab charged by Laboratory Corp of $544. Then UHC only paid $41.44 however their Policy says WELL WOMAN exams including Pap pays 100%. No wonder we need healthcare reform. This is all unreal. I don't see this as a reflection on my doctor.
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