Blood tests can be purchased online these days.
They help people save hundreds if not thousands of dollars each year, not to mention that you can get the results back in just a few business days in most cases.
There are also numerous blood tests to choose from, such as a complete blood count test (hemoglobin, iron in the blood, etc), testosterone test, metabolic panel test, etc.
With that being said, one of the most interesting healthcare aspects we can observe is the huge price difference between companies which sell these tests. For example, in certain parts of the United States, you can buy a metabolic panel test for almost $1,000 while in other parts you can buy it for as low as $28.
This begs the question – why this huge price difference?
How Much Does a Blood Test Cost?
The cost of a blood test depends on various factors such as the company you’re buying from, whether you live in a metropolitan area or not, what type of blood panel you order, etc.
For example, people who live in urban areas are expected to pay more for the same test in comparison with those who live in a smaller city. Similarly, if you go for a comprehensive test which analyzes multiple enzymes, vitamins and hormones in your blood, you will pay more than if you buy a smaller test which looks just at your thyroid hormones.
In different places in the United States, a blood test can cost several hundred dollars on average. Here are a few numbers for you to get the idea:
- Miami – around $400, up to $725
- Houston – up to $460
- Dallas – up to $407
- Chicago – up to $257
- Seattle – up to $93
- Baltimore – around $25 on average
Keep in mind that these are usually the prices negotiated by insurance companies with various labs across the country. Experts say that these huge price differences are common in the healthcare industry.
The worst thing is that most patients will not know exactly how much they are expected to pay for their blood test until they receive the bill from the insurance company. It would be really bad for you to receive a $400 bill for a simple blood test, right?
That’s why it’s better to go on the direct-to-consumer blood test route. This basically means buying your blood tests directly from the provider, without the help of your insurance company or physician.
On DiscountedLabs you can buy a metabolic test panel for as low as $28. You will go to the nearest clinic to draw blood and have your sample analyzed by trustworthy labs in the United States (usually LabCorp). In just a few days, you’ll have your results back and you can use them to interpret your current health status, with the help of your healthcare provider.
On the other hand, hospitals and insurance companies make it much more difficult for you to get your preferred test quickly and affordably. That’s because they negotiate with vendors in private, without revealing the actual costs of the test to consumers or the media.
The good news is that the Trump administration might make it easier for patients and consumers to obtain blood tests. This administration has begun to ask questions on what doctors negotiate with test providers and demand that some of these prices be revealed.
It has been determined that the prices vary depending on the market and the healthcare provider. This holds true whether we talk about blood tests or other types of medical procedures or treatments. For example, a cesarean section birth can cost four times or even more in metropolitan areas than in smaller cities.
This huge price difference is not seen in other types of markets or industries. For example, prices for food or drinks don’t vary that much across the country and you’ll always know exactly how much you’re going to pay right from the start.
Similarly, a regular hotel room in San Francisco, for example, usually costs twice as much as a regular hotel room in a smaller city, so the price difference is not that big in comparison with what you see in the healthcare industry.
As a business owner, you may have to sit a lot for work, and will want to get checked to make sure your health is in order and blood is flowing properly. You should not have to pay astronomical prices.
Another important aspect to be taken into account is the place where the insurance companies send patients.
For example, popular hospitals and clinics might charge a smaller price for a blood test because the insurer might negotiate a bulk discount. On the other hand, if a service is rarely used in a certain hospital, its price is very likely to always remain high.
It is also true that hospitals can charge patients in different insurance networks more than others and even more than what insurance companies are able to pay. The actual prices charged by hospitals and doctors are usually kept secret but the Obama administration created a government website to publish some of these costs.
The Trump administration has tried to do something similar, persuading hospitals and doctors to reveal how much they charge for various medical services, including blood tests.
There are other types of websites online which attempt to reveal the real prices of various medical services and procedures. This is a laudable endeavor as it gives people a chance to have a better understanding of how much they should pay for a certain service. You should do your homework and research medical costs before paying, especially if you need complex procedures such as MRI scans or teeth whitening services.
What to Do Next?
Remember that now you can find plenty of options online, especially when it comes to blood tests. You shouldn’t be forced to pay hundreds of dollars for a simple test when you can find the same one from websites such as DiscountedLabs.com at a much smaller price.
To get you inspired on what blood tests you can find online, check out this comprehensive and popular list of tests and pick the one you need!
