Winston, 56, who works at Humboldt State University, found out the dermatologist in her rural Northern California town was booked months in advance. So, as Winston often does for specialized treatment, she turned to Stanford Health Care, a nearly six-hour drive south. She hoped to finally clear up her rash and learn what else she might be allergic to.

Winston, who had avoided lipstick and other skin products for years, said that 119 tiny plastic containers of allergens were taped to her back over three days of testing. Winston ultimately learned that she was allergic to — among other things — linalool (a compound of lavender and other plants); the ketoconazole cream prescribed to treat her persistent rash; the antibiotic neomycin; a clothing dye; a common preservative used in cosmetics; and the metals gold, nickel and cobalt.

Her Stanford-affiliated doctor had warned her that the extensive allergy skin-patch testing she needed might be expensive, Winston said, but she wasn’t too worried. After all, Stanford was an in-network provider for her insurer — and her insurance, one of her benefits as an employee of the state of California, always had been reliable.

…continue reading ‘Bill Of The Month: A $48,329 Allergy Test Is A Lot Of Scratch’

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