Closing Gaps in Care With At-Home Chlamydia Screening

Each year, more than 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. is living with a sexually transmitted infection (STI), contributing to over $16 billion in treatment costs annually (CDC). Among the most common—and often undetected—is chlamydia, a bacterial STI that can lead to serious health consequences if left untreated. With symptoms that are often silent and screening rates that remain far below where they should be, chlamydia represents a major care gap in the U.S. healthcare system.

At Ash, we believe at-home chlamydia screening programs can be a powerful tool to close this gap—especially for Medicaid and commercial plan members aged 16–24, the population targeted by NCQA’s HEDIS® chlamydia screening measure.

Why Chlamydia Screening Matters

Chlamydia is the most frequently reported bacterial STI in the United States (CDC). Left untreated, it can result in pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, infertility, and increased risk of acquiring or transmitting HIV.

Because many people with chlamydia are asymptomatic, annual screening is recommended for:

• Sexually active women under age 25
• Women 25 and older with risk factors
• Pregnant individuals
• Sexually active gay and bisexual men (CDC)
  
  

Measuring the Impact: HEDIS and Screening Rates

NCQA’s HEDIS measure for chlamydia screening in women evaluates the percentage of sexually active members ages 16–24 who were tested for chlamydia annually. Measurement works—rates have significantly improved since NCQA began reporting this data:

• Commercial HMO plans have seen a 111% increase in screening from 2001 to 2023.
• Commercial PPO plans improved by 67% since 2005.
• Medicaid HMO plans increased by 40% from 2001 to 2023 (NCQA).

Still, many eligible members are not being screened, especially in underserved communities where transportation, stigma, time constraints, and provider shortages create real barriers to accessing care.

How At-Home Screening Helps Close the Gap

At-home screening allows individuals to complete the chlamydia screening process discreetly, conveniently, and on their own schedule. This model is especially beneficial for patients who:

• Cannot easily travel to a clinic
• Have unpredictable work schedules
• Lack childcare
• Face structural or financial barriers to healthcare
• Live in rural areas
• Feel stigma or discomfort discussing sexual health in person

Ash partners with health plans, public health departments, and digital health companies to distribute at-home testing programs directly to members, improving access and removing traditional barriers to screening.

What Makes Ash Different

Ash simplifies the process of launching and scaling at-home chlamydia screening programs that help improve HEDIS scores and member outcomes. Here’s how:

• End-to-End Screening Infrastructure: We manage everything from kit fulfillment and lab processing to digital result delivery—ensuring clinical accuracy and compliance with CLIA/CAP-certified labs.
• White-Labeled Kits and Patient Portal: Patients can access results and care instructions through our API and your branded interface, increasing engagement and satisfaction.
• Linkage to Care: We integrate linkage to care options that ensure members with reactive or abnormal results are quickly connected to treatment, follow-up care, or confirmatory in-person testing.
• Data-Driven Reporting for HEDIS Improvement: Our platform tracks screening completions and outcomes in real time, allowing your quality improvement teams to measure progress toward HEDIS goals and close care gaps faster.

Ready to Improve Screening Rates?

Health plans have an opportunity—and a responsibility—to support preventive care strategies that improve health outcomes and reduce costs. At-home chlamydia screening is a clinically validated, patient-centered way to do just that.

Ash is here to help your organization implement an accessible, reliable, and cost-effective chlamydia screening program—improving care equity and boosting HEDIS performance along the way.

Get in touch today to learn how to bring at-home chlamydia screening to your members.

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