www.publichealthalert.org/role-of-c3a-and-c4a-complement-proteins-in-chronic-lyme-disease.html".... Ask your health care provider to write on the requisition slip in large letters: "ACCESSIONING: C3a & C4a MUST BE ROUTED TO NATIONAL JEWISH". To find the LabCorp drawing station nearest you, go to www.labcorp.com and enter your city or zip code in the space provided in the lower left of the home page.
If your health care provider writes the ICD-9 (diagnostic) code of 279.3 (Immune dysregulation) on your LabCorp requisition slip, insurance will more than likely cover the C3a and C4a tests. However, if your insurance does not cover the tests, the prices are not prohibitive. Each of the tests cost $ 75.60 (valid as of 3-25-09).
***Because most lab technicians are unfamiliar with the C3a and C4a tests, it is in your best interest to go to the LabCorp drawing station knowing exactly how your blood should be handled. This way you will be assured that your sample will arrive at the lab satisfactory for testing. The blood needs to be drawn into an EDTA tube ("lavender top") and immediately spun and separated. The plasma should be **frozen right away** and sent frozen to National Jewish.."