5.00 test translates to 200 dollar test in US. 20% insurance co-pay means you pay $40
Now if you don’t have insurance your cost is 5.00
Our med system is screwed up.
While the reagents/test kit might be $5 (doubtful), the expensive equipment used, lab operators operating under careful safety protocols, reviewing results, sample tracking and documentation, etc are not free. If a $5 o-ring fails in your car’s air conditioner, it still costs a couple hundred $ for the repair. The mechanic doesn’t install it for free.
In reality, I doubt the true cost of a test anywhere in the world is anywhere near “$5”.