Labs cost from Labcorp/ insurance

[Lancealot]

Hi all,

I just received my EOB (explanation of benefits) from my insurance for my latest labs. It list what labcorp charges insurance and what they agree to accept in payment. I had panel of 12 tests that totaled $1,816.00! Long story short, Labcorp agreed to accept $146.32 from insurance and $36.59 from me as my part. So, total of $182.91 for those labs. If I didn't have insurance there is no way I could pay these huge fees. I find $1,816 a little outrageous to charge folks! That is highway robbery! No wonder insurance is so freaking high. Anyway, just wanted to vent a bit.

 

[maxadvance]

I love Labcorp, they are friggin everywhere. Defy uses them, and thru their discount I find them to be the best deal anywhere around. Results are usually 2-3 days. As anything of value in life, I suggest figuring out or negotiating a cost before you actually get the tests done.

 

[Lancealot]

I love Labcorp, they are friggin everywhere. Defy uses them, and thru their discount I find them to be the best deal anywhere around. Results are usually 2-3 days. As anything of value in life, I suggest figuring out or negotiating a cost before you actually get the tests done.

I agree they are everywhere and convenient. I was simply stating what they would charge someone walking in with no insurance. Thank goodness I have insurance, if not I would use discountlabs through nelson. To me $1816 is a bit much for bloodwork to charge someone.

 

[hdrider]

The people without insurance are usually the ones who can least afford to pay, and they are charged the most! And good luck trying to find out ahead of time what lab tests or anything else related to conventional medicine is going to cost. (I've tried). The whole system is a joke.

 

[midlifealpha]

Actually my tech at LabCorp last week told me I would be much better off getting them at Quest through my insurance (LabCorp doesn't take Anthem BCBS). Her reasoning was the insurance mandated cost on them was going to be pretty equivalent but that 80% would be covered under premium. Plus we always hit the max for the year around march or April so anything after that I never have to pay for except these blood tests

 

[Vince Carter]

I've seen my EOBs come in over 3K.

I only use Quest though. My insurance carrier has a "lab card"...no deductible, no fee, ZERO COST for labs. I ask Defy to write me a script (free) for whatever I want and go to Quest with my LabCard.

 

[torrential]

My EOB's look similar: $$$$ rack rate less $$$ markdown then $ my share. I made a crack about the retail cost at my last blood draw. The Quest tech told me they have a very different pricing scheme for self-pay / non-insurance patients. No details but for anyone put off by the $$$$ it would be worth pursuing.

 

[txmx]

I use LabCorp as well. I once asked if any of my blood tests were not covered by my insurance, would I pay the "list" price or the UHC "insurance negotiated" price. I was told I would get the UHC pricing. That is significant, as UHC insurance pricing per test is on average about 10 percent of list price.

 

[Lancealot]

I guess they mark it up because they know the insurance will negotiate them down to pennies on the dollar. I like the service and convenience of labcorp and have no complaints about service.