HIV Counseling & Testing
Albany Medical Center offers a wide range of Counseling and Testing services, including voluntary Confidential HIV Testing for any patient who requests it, for pregnant women during the ante-partum period, for transplant donors and recipients, for victims of sexual assault and for other community contacts referred to AMC for Counseling and Testing. Minors (individuals under the age of 18) can consent to testing without parental consent if the HIV Counselor deems that the minor has the capacity to understand the testing procedure, counseling issues, and the consequences of both a positive and negative test result. Once counseling is completed, the patient must consent to HIV testing in writing. Post test counseling is provided to the patient during his/her inpatient stay; if discharged, an appointment is scheduled for the patient to return for post test counseling.
Confidential HIV testing, which includes the person's identifying information (i.e. name, date of birth), is also offered to outpatients. Counseling is available by calling (518) 262-6828 and scheduling an appointment. There is a minimum fee of $36.25 for testing, which is subject to change and to additional charges for phlebotomy as well as handling charges. This fee can be paid in cash or check, or billed to insurance or home. Medicaid and Medicare can also be billed for testing.
If a person does not have insurance and cannot pay for the test, he/she can receive free testing through the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) by calling 1-800-962-5065. Anonymous testing, which bears no identifying patient information, is available through these NYSDOH testing sites. There is a NYSDOH site located on the third floor of Albany Medical Center (C-351).
