Starting compareing test cost, the same lab(LabCorp) different ordering/payment methods.
I have no financial interest in any of these companies/web sites.
Metabolic Panel (14)
Comprehensive
LabCorp TEST: 322000
$49.00 billed to insurance
Test number CPT: 80053
Cost $49.00 through LabCorp Direct
Same test same lab, the least expensive I located; $8.74 through
CRP-hs / hs-CRP
high-sensitivity C-reactive protein
$75.00 LabCorp billing insurance
Test: 120766
CPT: 86141
CRP-hs (120766)
$12.33 at
Insulin
$88.00 LabCorp billing insurance
Test: 004333
CPT: 83525
Insulin Blood Test (004333)
$12.37 at
Hemoglobin (Hb) A1c
$70.00 LabCorp billing insurance
Test: 001453
CPT: 83036
$8.74 at
CBC with differential & platelet Blood Test (005009)
LabCorp Direct $29.00
$7.28 at
Shop and compare
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LabCorp billing to insurance for rapamycin/sirolomus test, $400.00
The least expensive rapamycin/sirolomus test.(the testing is preformed by LabCorp) $59.00 plus a blood drawing fee.
This is was posted on this forum, I do not recall who originally posted the company, Marek Diagnostics.
Review link;
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Check out Ulta labs. Order what you want online, then make an appointment at a Quest Diagnostics center for the actual draw. Cash price for most of my labs through Ulta is cheaper than having them run through my insurance.
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Check out Ulta labs.
FYI, if anyone uses Ulta Lab Tests, thereās an easy way to get another 20% off their prices: sign up for their marketing emails. Each daily email includes discount codes.
For example, the currently-active 20%-off-all-tests code is UltaHRS23 (valid until āMidnight on January 13th, 2024. MSTā).
Iāve used Ulta Lab Tests several times and have no complaints.
ETA: I see that 20%-off discount codes are listed on their website (āWeekly Promotionsā on main page). No need even to sign up for marketing emails.
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SNK
#5
Does anyone know if Marek is good in New York?
Iām afraid it isnāt possible to order labs yourself if youāre in NY. Itās illegal.
I think you are misunderstanding how these discount blood tests work. Of course you canāt order your own bloodtests - anywhere really. But if you go to Life Extension and order their LabCorp tests, they have a doctor order them. I did this for 5 years while a resident of NYC so it is quite easy to do.
1 Like
hitch
#8
I purchased the following lab tests from Marek Health on Feb 8th and had the lab draw done from Labcorp. Iāve made many purchases from Marek with no issues.
ApoA1, ApoB, and ApoA1:ApoB Ratio
LCP-202 $27.00 1 $27.00
Iron
LCP-29 $3.00 1 $3.00
Total Testosterone, Standard (ECLIA) & Free Testosterone (Direct)
LCP-55 $29.00 1 $29.00
Lipid Panel (Total Cholesterol, HDL, LDL, VLDL, Triglycerides, HDL/LDL Ratio)
LCP-34 $8.00 1 $8.00
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP)
Glucose,Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN),Creatinine,eGFR,BUN/Creatinine Ratio,Sodium
Potassium,Chloride,Carbon Dioxide total,Calcium,Protein total,Albumin,Globulin total
Albumin/Globulin (A/G) Ratio,Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP),AST,ALT
LCP-93 $8.50 1 $8.50
Venipuncture Lab Draw Fee
$5.00
Subtotal $80.50
Total $80.50 USD
btw- Iron is $3 at Marek and $19.95 at Ulta.
Prices much better on most/all tests with Marek
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I donāt misunderstand, I was just using a shorter description of the process. Effectively, one orders their own labs from a website. The doctor on staff just rubber stamps the order for a markup - one places an order on a website for whatever they wish. The doctor is invisible and the ādigital signatureā is probably automated (based on how quickly and at what hours of the day/night Iāve received requisitionsā¦ )
Youāre right, though, there are some smaller services that will help NY residents order labs, but there are restrictions that prevent many of the larger services from (legally) helping the consumer. Some may be skirting the law and trying to fly under the radar, though. Regardless, I shouldnāt have made an off the cuff blanket statement without qualifiers.
What is illegal is most testing that isnāt ordered by a physician that is overseeing the patientās care. In 2015, the NY AG went after DirectLabs for allowing a chiropractor to order tests that the chiropractor had no relationship with and that the State deemed inappropriate for a chiropractor to order.
From the AGās ASSURANCE OF DISCONTINUANCE re: DirectLabs:
Under New York law, laboratories may only perform these tests at the request of
a licensed provider, but the investigator was never examined by a licensed health care provider in connection with these tests. Moreover, the practitioner whose name appeared on the requisitions (and who was retained by DirectLabs to āauthorizeā the laboratory tests purchased by consumers) was a chiropractor, and therefore could not legally order four of these tests: Cancer Antigen 27.29, Rheumatoid Arthritis Factor, Prostate Specific Antigen, and Tacrolimus.
Their press release:
As a result of DirectLabsā and LabCorpās actions, New Yorkers were able to undergo clinical laboratory testing without ever consulting a health care practitioner, even when New York State law requires that such testing be performed only at a licensed practitionerās request. Their actions placed New Yorker consumersā health at risk, as licensed medical practitioners are uniquely qualified to identify which tests will be useful for their patients, interpret the results, and determine whether the results are clinically meaningful for the patient based on the entirety of the patientās medical condition.
It made the N.Y. Times:
DirectLabs had sold hundreds of health tests to consumers, ranging from checks for heavy metals and vitamins to screening for parasites and disease. But Mr. Schneiderman said the person fulfilling the medical practitioner role was actually a chiropractor who had never met, spoken to or followed up with any patients.
Residents of NY, NJ, and RI donāt have as easy a time getting labs as those in other states.
The differences in cost - even ordered at the same lab are a huge problem. Ulta for example is drawn at Quest and processed by them at a cheaper rate than you can get it by going direct to Quest. When I order UltaLabs for my patients - we get even cheaper prices than the consumer can get it. Through LabCorp a group called AccessLabs is very cost effective - for example CBC $3.60, Comprehensive panel $7.50, HbA1C $5, TSH/FT4/FT3 $25, for example.
If you get billed full price for those labs - Iāve seen a patient stuck with $300+ for a Vitamin D level - ordered by me is $24.
There should be just one price at a given lab for all customers - there is nothing to stop them charging $1000 for a CBC ā¦ and it is often surprise billing, in that you get blood drawn, presume insurance will pay - however, for anything not covered, it defaults to full price and the patient can be out huge$$.
Really important to confirm before you get blood drawn what is covered and what isnāt. You can simply cross the items off the list that arenāt covered, and get them ordered for cash pay rates separately.
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hitch
#12
Lab test prices: Marek vs HippEvo
I pulled up the HippEvo website and searched for tests that I had already purchased from Marek.
They both use Labcorp for the testing. Marek adds $5 for the actual blood draw- but you could have many tests and it would still have just one $5 fee. Not sure if HippEvo charges for the draw.
The prices I give for HippEvo are much higher than @Joseph lists above. I am thinking that he must be a HippEvo member ($99 year) and gets large discounts over their āretailā price. Regardless, Marek had the lowest prices.
Test (labcorp #) Marek HippEvo (me) HippEvo (Joseph/member?)
CMP (322000) $8.50 $10.64 $8.74
Lipid panel (235010) 8.00 10.50
HBA1C (001453) 7.50 12.25 8.74
Vitamin D (081950) 14.50 45.50
APO-B (167015) 14.00 42.52
Cortisol (004051) 10.00 28.00
Iron (001339) 3.00 7.00
Testosterone (140103) 29.00 48.13
Insulin (004333) 11.00 24.50 12.37
Sirolimus 59.00 NA
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Yes - Marek seems really good, and they provide details on what is in each test, unlike HippEvo (at least on their website).
Here are the Marek Lab test lists and details:
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Itās an interesting take by a doctor who has insurance but buys his tests so that he doesnāt need to see a physician.
I think many members of the forum will agree with his viewpoints,
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Liface
#15
Iām in New York City.
I went to the Life Extension and tried to buy a complete blood count and they said for New York residents they would send me a Lab Kit which contained all the blood draw supplies and shipping labels and I had to figure out how to get blood drawn myself. Not sure how this works.
Vlasko
#16
Marek Diagnostics uses Labcorp.
Jason Health uses Quest Diagnostics and many tests there are less expensive than at the more well-known websites like Direct Labs, Walk-in Labs, etc. And the lab requisition prints out immediately. You donāt have to wait like you do with Marek for someone to prepare it and send it to you.
Cystatin C is $40.
https://www.jasonhealth.com/
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I used to have this problem as well when I lived in New York City. Its New york State law. You can either go through the motions of getting the kit and a phlebottomist or hop on a train to Stamford and get the test there. I found that easier.
Liface
#18
Oh, I thought your comment further up in this thread meant that you had solved it.
Well, now Iām just confused. Others have mentioned that theyāve been able to order the tests and just go to a testing center and they were accepted.
Blood testing rules and regulations are controlled by the state you live in, so the rules vary from state to state.
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