PFAS Blood Test Costs a Barrier for Many Who Fear High Exposure

Blood tests measuring PFAS can help doctors manage risks for patients who have been significantly exposed to the chemicals—but the tests cost up to $600, and insurance generally doesn’t cover them.

“Patients with high levels of PFAS, have a higher risk of certain diseases,” including increased cholesterol and certain cancers, said Rachel Criswell, a primary care physician with Redington-Fairview General Hospital in Skowhegan, Maine.

Yet some of her patients decline PFAS tests, she said. “They can’t afford them.”

Two states—New Hampshire and Maine—have led US efforts to mandate insurance coverage.

New Hampshire approved legislation in 2020. ...