How Much Does a Blood Test Cost without Insurance
How much does a blood test cost without insurance? The cost of blood tests in a laboratory can range from $100 for a simple test to $3,000 for numerous sophisticated procedures. On average, when a patient is uninsured, blood tests in a laboratory cost approximately $1,500.
Routine blood tests performed as part of an annual physical or a new patient checkup can cost $100 to $1,000 or more. A complete blood count (CBC), often performed in conjunction with an annual physical exam, can cost $10 to $150 or more on its own.
Without insurance, the average cost of blood tests is $432, although the cost can range from $50 to more than $1,000 depending on the tests performed. There are several options to reduce the cost of blood tests, including visiting community health centers or ordering home lab tests.
Without insurance, the cost of blood tests can vary significantly. Several factors affect the amount you will have to pay for blood tests, including your insurance status, the number of tests you have, and where you go to take the test.
Cost of Blood Tests without Insurance
| Test Name | Cost |
| Complete Blood Count (CBC) | $140 – $622 |
| Lipid Panel | $303 – $843 |
| Basic or Comprehensive Metabolic Panel | $330 – $1,309 |
| A1c | $129 – $643 |
| Vitamin D | $108 – $350 |
| STI Test COVID-19 Antibody Test | $108 – $350 $50-$100 |
| Thyroid-stimulating hormone | $35 – $500 |
Although blood tests are necessary and frequently recommended, the cost of uninsured blood tests can be pretty high. Over the past decade, the cost of medical treatments has increased substantially, and current prices are exorbitant, even for routine surgeries and tests.
The cost of blood tests in a laboratory can range from $100 for a simple test to $3,000 for numerous sophisticated procedures. On average, when a patient is uninsured, blood tests in a laboratory cost approximately $1,500.
Thus, the high cost of testing prevents many uninsured people from getting the necessary blood tests. The uninsured often wait until their symptoms are severe enough to require emergency care. Ultimately, this results in delayed detection of the disease, affecting prognosis and continually increasing the overall cost of therapy.
Where to Get Blood work done
There are several places where blood tests can be performed, and the location can affect the cost.
Urgent care or doctor’s office: Numerous urgent care centers and doctor’s offices offer blood tests. You will almost certainly be charged between $100 and $200 for the office visit, in addition to the cost of the blood tests. If you have a chronic disease, it is advisable to see a primary care physician who knows your medical history.
Blood tests can be done at Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp, which typically do not charge for an office visit.
Numerous organizations offer in-home lab tests that you can obtain online and run at your convenience. While these tests may be less expensive than going to a doctor in person, they may be necessary if there are abnormal results.
Hospitals: Typically, a hospital is the most expensive place to receive a blood test. Therefore, if you want routine testing or treat a non-life-threatening ailment, you can save money by going to primary care or urgent care center. However, if you find yourself in an emergency or suffer a life-threatening illness, you should always notify 911 or visit the nearest emergency room.
Methods to Mitigate the Cost of Uninsured Blood Tests
Although blood tests are necessary to monitor and detect medical problems, they can be expensive. There are several ways to reduce the cost of blood tests if you do not have insurance.
If you have blood work done at an urgent care center or doctor’s office, you should always ask whether the tests will be done in-house or sent to an outside lab. Tests performed outside your facility may be costly, as you may incur additional charges from the outside lab.
Some companies offer home blood tests that can be purchased online and returned to a laboratory by mail. These tests may be less expensive than those performed at a doctor’s office or urgent care center, as visit fees may apply when you go to a facility for a blood test.
When possible, telephone several centers to find out the fees for blood tests, the cost of uninsured blood tests can vary significantly between regions. You can search your area for community health centers and free clinics. These centers may offer free or reduced-cost screenings to people who do not have health insurance.
In addition, you should inform your doctor or health care professional that you will be paying for your tests out of pocket and ask if they have any suggestions for reducing the cost of your tests.
Other Simple Blood Test Costs without Insurance
Blood tests can be pretty beneficial in helping a healthcare professional select an opinion and treatment. And how much is a blood test without insurance? For a more accurate estimate of the cost of each of the most common blood tests, check out this helpful chart, compiled with the help of Healthcare Bluebook.
| CBC | $6 to $28 |
| BMP | $8 To $38 |
| Blood enzyme test | $11 to $58 |
| Lipid Panel | $12 to $58 |
| HbA1C | $10 to $51 |
| TSH | $15 to $73 |
According to Medline Plus, your healthcare provider will certainly order several tests.
For example, they perform a CBC and PCM together, as they provide a complete picture of your health status and can help rule out many emergency illnesses on the spot. In addition, if a test comes back abnormal, a follow-up test can be ordered at an additional cost. Consequently, it is advisable to plan to have more than one blood test if you think of paying without insurance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does health insurance always cover blood work?
Blood tests are not part of health insurance policies, even if you have them. If you go to an out-of-network doctor who does not accept your insurance, you are responsible for the total cost of the blood test.
How much is blood work out of pocket?
Without insurance, the average cost of blood tests is $432, although the cost can range from $50 to over $1,000 depending on the tests performed.
Where to get blood-work done?
They do most blood tests outside of a physician’s office. Often, they obtain the blood at the physician’s office and then send it to an outside laboratory for testing. Occasionally, a provider will only prescribe a blood test, and you will need to locate a lab that can draw the sample.
Does health insurance always cover blood work?
Regarding whether your insurance covers blood tests, the answer is that it depends on whether the insurance covers by your health insurance, although this is not always the case. Suppose you have health insurance and have concerns about out-of-pocket costs. To do that, contact your insurance provider before any blood tests or other lab tests you can do to avoid more expenses.
How Much Do Blood Tests Cost?
There is $0 to $30 co-pay or 10% to 50% co-insurance with insurance.
The Total costs without insurance range are from $100 to $3,000 without insurance.
Bottom line
Without health insurance, you are more likely to have to keep an eye on all your medical expenses. On the other hand, staying on top of potential medical bills can be time-consuming, and it can also be challenging to get all the information you need in one place.
When you need a lab test, the cost will vary depending on the type of sample being collected (do you have to urinate into a cup or will you have blood drawn?), the type of test (does it require highly technical equipment to produce results or can it be easily interpreted?). Also, your geographic region, and each lab’s pricing schedule, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
Blood tests can be expensive, especially if they are not part of the insurance coverage. The most important blood tests for general health monitoring are metabolic panels, complete blood counts, hemoglobin A1C, and STI testing. By carefully determining where and how you take these tests, you can save money on blood tests.
References
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_test
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophistication
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/complete-blood-count/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipid_profile
- https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/comprehensive-metabolic-panel-cmp
- https://www.questdiagnostics.com/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracetamol
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulse-code_modulation
- https://jamanetwork.com/
