Is Your Blood Test Cost an Overcharge?

Many doctors, when performing routine medical exams, order lab work for their patients.

However, some insurance companies may refuse to cover certain lab tests and charges like a blood test cost may become astronomical without the patient knowing.

When a patient must undergo lab work, his or her lab test costs are typically billed to an insurance company. When a lab test is billable to an insurance company, blood test costs as well as other lab tests costs can be very low.

Sometimes, however, insurance companies may not agree to pay for labs they deem medically unnecessary or experimental.

In cases like this, the patient must pay for lab tests on their own and the price of a simple blood draw or cholesterol screen may skyrocket for the patient.

A blood test can measure cells, lipids, proteins, sugars, hormones and many other blood components. It can be used to diagnose and treat different diseases such as diabetes, high cholesterol, thyroid disease and cancer.

For example, a lab may end up charging the patient $100 for the blood test cost if the blood test is denied coverage by the insurance company. This test may have only cost $10 if it had been covered by insurance.

In fact, the blood test cost, if many different tests are done on the draw, can be upwards of $1000. A CBC (blood count test) alone can cost nearly $200.

The problem with this lies in the lack of transparency of the tactic. Oftentimes, medical labs don’t communicate with patients what the cost will be before they are charged. Because of the potential high blood test cost, this is a concerning issue.

Patients are beginning to fight back, claiming that the prices of lab costs should not vary if insurance companies refuse to pay. Some believe this pricing practice is fraudulent, and have grievances against several medical labs that may be engaging in such practices, including:

• Laboratory Corporation of America
• Quest Diagnostics
• Bio-Reference Laboratories

How to Avoid a High Blood Test Cost

Patients who have health insurance that requires them to use labs and physicians that are “in network” should make sure that the lab they are going to is in their network. A doctor can, without knowing, refer their patients to a lab that may not be covered under the insurance plan.

Patients should always check insurance coverage before they go to have lab work done. Many times, blood tests can be done either at the office of a patient’s primary care provider, a clinic or a hospital.

If you believe your blood test cost was too high or you were overcharged for medical lab fees after being denied coverage by your health insurance company, you may qualify to file a lab test fees lawsuit or laboratory fraud class action lawsuit.

Join a Free Medical Lab Fees Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you believe you were overcharged for medical lab fees after being denied coverage by your health insurance company, you may qualify to file a lab test fees lawsuit or laboratory fraud class action lawsuit.

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