Help with Follow-Up Labs Cost and Alternatives

[Reason]

I have my first follow-up consult with Defy and the labs they've requested are double the initial cost projection of $250, to about $500 so I'm looking for help figuring out my options.

I've Kaiser in NorCal and they won't cover labs from outside network physicians. My primary didn't want to even do a physical for my first Defy consult after she learned I was investigating TRT, so I highly doubt she will be open to prescribing the labs herself. I don't want to lie to her and I doubt if I switched physicians that any other Kaiser doctor would be different.

Defy wants:
CMP-14, CBC, Lipid Panel, PSA, SHBG, Test F/T, E2 Sen, DHEA-S, TSH, FT3/FT4, DHT, Prolactin, and Ferritin

Which seems totally fine and I agree with their request.

I checked Discountlabs.com and their prices aren't much better: $493 if I pick the best bundle possible and add a few extra individual tests.

I'm a college professor in California (expensive), so I don't have all the money in the world.

Any advice?

 

[Dr Justin Saya MD]

This is an example of trying to balance cost vs necessity when it comes to labs. Although I’m not privy to your chart by your screen name, there may be some labs that can be deferred or removed if budget prohibits. With that said, what was the exact lab cost that staff gave you because last time I checked those labs didn’t come anywhere close to $500?

 

[Systemlord]

I've Kaiser in NorCal and they won't cover labs from outside network physicians.

I've also learned Kaiser will not have anything to do with anything outside their network, I'm planning going with Defy shortly and having them provide the hormone management, AI support (needed) and thyroid treatment (doubtful) if necessary and continue filling my prescription through Kaiser to save on cost. This affords me more options with Defy for other services such as supplentments.

I don't need more than 100mg total weekly so it affords some wiggle room.

 

[Vince Carter]

Just as Dr Saya replied above they'll work within your cost constraints as best they can, there's absolutely a few of those that aren't really that necessary IMHO.

 

[FeelingLost]

This is an example of trying to balance cost vs necessity when it comes to labs. Although I’m not privy to your chart by your screen name, there may be some labs that can be deferred or removed if budget prohibits. With that said, what was the exact lab cost that staff gave you because last time I checked those labs didn’t come anywhere close to $500?

On my last blood test pre Defy consult I asked for a thyroid panel it was $240 then you add the normal TRT checkup panel it was $219

 

[DragonBits]

defy lab prices for the introductory first labs were pretty reasonable.


I looked at their menu of other lab prices, I thought they were on the high side.


Besides discountedlabs on this website, privatelabsMd, and life extension to compare. You can order these labs yourself. You can go to your network physician and request some of those labs from their network, likely the doctor won't want to run them all, but the ones the network doc doesn't think you need, you buy them separately. Panels are usually cheaper, they might include some tests like LH that aren't required and sort of useless, but overall it might be cheaper. You can also ask Defy why they need something like Prolactin, is it really necessary at this time?


I had created a spreadsheet of all possible (likely) tests, then which panels had which tests and how much the panel cost. It does seem like the panels often leave out one test I want to get, maybe that'a by design?


I do believe you could get those tests at more like $350-$390, but I don't think you could get them at $250 unless your insurance paid for some of the tests and you paid the rest out of pocket.

 

[Reason]

Thank you for your reply, Dr. Saya.

I used the store and added the follow up panel to my cart ($237 I believe) plus all the other tests and it came to almost $500. Unless there’s a combined panel I’m not finding on my own, I wasn’t able to find a way to lower the cost.

I contacted your staff with these questions before posting here to see if there was a less costly option and they offered me the Lab Rx route but nothing else.

I don’t want to use this forum for Defy costumer service, of course, so I was refraining from getting too much into my previous attempts.

 

[Jesse-Defy]

Thank you for your reply, Dr. Saya.

I used the store and added the follow up panel to my cart ($237 I believe) plus all the other tests and it came to almost $500. Unless there’s a combined panel I’m not finding on my own, I wasn’t able to find a way to lower the cost.

I contacted your staff with these questions before posting here to see if there was a less costly option and they offered me the Lab Rx route but nothing else.

I don’t want to use this forum for Defy costumer service, of course, so I was refraining from getting too much into my previous attempts.

I was able to calculate $382 for those tests listed.