HPV tests for home use: How health insurance companies are closing gaps

Cervical cancer screening saves lives – but most women still are not taking part. Globally, 64 percent of women aged 30-49 have never been screened, according to The Lancet Global Health. The WHO is pushing for 70 percent coverage by 2030 – a goal that will require new, more accessible approaches to reach those currently left out.

One of them could be this: What if screening came to you – easy to order, simple to use, and seamlessly connected to lab and medical support? In Germany, health insurers like SBK are making that a reality with HPV self-tests that intelligently combine laboratory analysis, digital transfer of findings and medical advice.

For many women, going for gynecological screening is associated with obstacles – whether due to lack of time, embarrassment, or uncertainty. The Siemens company health insurance fund (SBK) is addressing this reality with a hybrid care model in collaboration with the provider Remi Health, which acts as a platform connecting insured individuals, laboratories, and medical care.

"The biggest advantage is simple, low-threshold access," explains Christina Bernards, team leader for innovative healthcare services at SBK.

The patient journey is clearly and efficiently structured: the test kit can be ordered online from Remi Health in just a few minutes, the online results are usually available after 2-4 business days, and, if necessary, a medical consultation can be arranged at short notice. The result is a care pathway that focuses on everyday usability and data security.

At SBK, the HPV self-test is part of the overarching care concept based on Section 140a of the German Social Code, Book V (SGB V-special care). In addition to the medical benefits, the focus is on a well-thought-out patient journey – from the online information phase to the home test and follow-up care by a specialist.

"Home tests increase the participation rate, relieve the burden on doctors' offices, and thus make an important contribution to care," Bernards continues. However, it is crucial that they "are always embedded in an overall concept – consisting of information, education, medical and non-medical support. Then a win-win situation arises for all involved."

Regarding the medical profession in particular, it is clear that these models do not focus on substitution, but on relieving the burden and integration. Medical expertise remains a foundational component – for example, in the form of telemedical consultation after a positive test result. This results in hybrid care solutions that close structural gaps without replacing doctor-patient contact.

The increasing shift of screening services to the home environment is also changing the role of laboratory diagnostics. Laboratories are increasingly acting as active interfaces – from sample receipt and analysis to the digital communication of results. Christina Bernards from the SBK emphasizes: "It is always important to consider the entire diagnosis chain: from test performance and laboratory connection to medical support if necessary. This integration forms the basis for acceptance and safety."

Dispersed diagnostics opens up a strategic field of action for diagnostics providers: those who are able to provide secure, digitally connectable, and patient-oriented laboratory processes will become indispensable partners in the expansion of preventive healthcare.

Even though start-ups such as Remi Health are not yet directly in the spotlight, they form the technological backbone of these new care models. As an integration platform, they coordinate shipping, sample logistics, laboratory connections, and – in collaboration with partners – telemedical follow-up care.

Health insurance companies are breaking new ground to better structure the early detection of cervical cancer. Laboratories are playing a central role in this that goes far beyond mere analysis. The question is no longer whether hybrid diagnostic models work, but how quickly will they be rolled out. Laboratories, health insurance companies, and health tech providers should work together to shape this change – because the model can also be applied to other screening areas such as colorectal cancer and STIs (sexually transmitted infections).