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Joseph M. Mercola, DO
Humana Hospital Hoffman Estates, Ill

JAMA. 1989;261(15):2198.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

To the Editor. —

Belongia et al¹ have seriously misrepresented the cost of the premarital human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing program in the state of Illinois. They claim that it cost $715000 to find each identified case of HIV infection through premarital screening. Their article neglects to consider that physician office visits and syphilis screening are now required in Illinois premaritally, regardless of screening for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

The average charge for the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay HIV test more accurately determines the cost of premarital acquired immunodeficiency syndrome screening in Illinois. The authors cite the $60 fee that was common in 1987. The requirement of premarital HIV screening in Illinois since Jan 1, 1988, has increased the demand for this test. The increased utilization of HIV screening since then has put competitive pressures on the commercial laboratories offering the test to decrease their price to physicians. Most physicians can . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

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