How To Get Your Vitamin D Levels Measured (Even Without Insurance)

By now, you're probably used to getting a blood test with your annual physical. You fast, go to a lab early, get a few vials of blood drawn, and then (possibly) receive a call or electronic notification with an "all good" or a "this is out of range." At least that's how it works in traditional medical practices. 

Depending on your health history, your doctor may just order the blood tests covered by insurance (which often include cholesterol tests and a complete blood count panel). But there's an essential indicator of health that's often not included during this process. And that's vitamin D. 

Previously, some insurers included vitamin D as part of routine preventive screening (aka services that monitor your health status). But as recently as 2022, insurers have deemed this testing as not medically necessary for most people. 

Vitamin D testing can be covered by insurance if it meets certain medical necessity criteria. For example, those who have previously been diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency (aka having blood levels below 20 ng/mL) or who are at risk of vitamin D toxicity (which is quite rare1) may qualify.

People with a condition or diagnosis that puts them at higher risk for a deficiency (like Crohn's disease or osteoporosis) may also be eligible.

Being low in vitamin D can have negative implications on health, especially on bone density and cognition.

An estimated 29% of American adults2 are vitamin D deficient, and 41% have insufficient levels 2(blood levels below 30 ng/mL).

And it's really hard to increase these low levels from food and sunshine alone.

A high-quality supplement is often needed to achieve and sustain optimal vitamin D levels (which is 50 ng/mL). Here's a list of our favorite supplement choices.

Knowing where your vitamin D levels stand is essential for forming the proper supplementation plan.

If you're currently working with a functional medicine practitioner, they are likely already diligent in making sure you get your vitamin D levels measured at least once a year (if not more)—even if you do have to pay out of pocket for it. 

Insurance-covered blood testing for vitamin D is becoming more and more restrictive—although research continually points to the benefits of maintaining optimal levels.

Functional medicine providers are often great at working with their clients on their vitamin D levels, but if you're in the traditional health care system, you may have to advocate for or seek out this testing yourself.