Titers Paid By Traveler?

Specialties Travel

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I have had titers drawn (for MMR, etc) in the past by my current travel company and THEY paid for them. I am going with a different company for my next assignment and they are telling me that I have to pay for them. Is it common for the employee to foot the bill for titers?

Titers are a one time deal if you keep the records. They don't need to be redone so no, it is not common for experienced travelers to need them paid for. But either way, you are paying for them. If you have insurance, they are cheap. If not, go to an occupational health office, still should be reasonable.

The agency will not give me a copy of the titers because it is "against company policy", since they paid for them. The lab told me they can't give me a copy because "a physician did not order them". So I do not have a record of them. Unfortunately, I have to rely on the agency's insurance and since I am changing companies, I will not have insurance coverage to pay for it. I will try your suggestion. Thanks NedRN

Specializes in Ortho/Uro/Peds/Research/PH/Insur/Travel.

Try a public health department.

Do you have a home hospital or one where you worked staff previously? If so, check their occupational health dept...they may have records of your titers if blood was drawn when you first started.

Specializes in MICU, SICU, CICU.

Both Quest diagnostics and Labcorp let you set up an online account to access and print your labs.

I printed all of my titers ordered by a large travel company when I signed up.

Bet you were not in California!

My labs were drawn through Labcorp. I am signed up on the site where you can view your labs. They did not and will not post them and give me access to titers. I have already talked to LabCorp about it.

Specializes in MICU, SICU, CICU.

I can not even log on to health vault right now. Maybe they have changed their policies. I would go in at a slow time and ask to have the account unlocked and for copies of my results. The labcorp staff have always been very helpful and are used to me coming in for a UDS every three months (for contracts not for the BON). Good luck.

Although not a traveler, I have been required to pay for my own titers. I didn't agree with that, but I understood the greedy employer mentality.

Both Labcorp and Quest will fax your results if you request it when labs are drawn (if done outside of California). I realize most travelers may not have fax numbers but for me, my online service provided fax number proves handy several times a year and labs are one of those times. I use MaxEmail which is $15 a year and provides a dedicated fax number. Incoming faxes are free and are emailed to me as a pdf (other options available).

Quest provides a smartphone app called Gazelle. Not very user friendly, it requires a lot of time to activate, and every time I've used it, I have to call to get the results sent to Gazelle. When I have the option, I pick Labcorp. I'm not familiar with Health Vault, is that is a specific Labcorp app or site?

Although not a traveler, I have been required to pay for my own titers. I didn't agree with that, but I understood the greedy employer mentality.

Titers are not a pre-employment requirement generally. If they require them post employment, employers must foot the bill. Open and shut. If you are working for an agency, they can get away with that as it is a pre-employment requirement of their client.

No matter what, get a copy of the titers. They don't expire (TB quantiferon being an exception) so it is really a one time expense.

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