When your doctor orders lab work, you probably assume your insurance will cover it — but that’s not always the case. Many patients are shocked to learn that their lab tests were denied, leaving them with an unexpected bill for hundreds of dollars.
The truth is, your doctor may not always know (or have time to confirm) whether your labs will be covered. Sometimes the issue isn’t medical necessity at all — it’s a simple coding error. A busy clinician may select the wrong ICD-10 code, and suddenly, your lab claim gets rejected.
Recently, someone told me they spent over an hour on the phone with Medicare trying to get their bloodwork covered. That’s time and energy most of us just don’t have.
Your time is valuable — and that’s one big reason cash pricing for labs is often the better way to go.
The Power of Cash Pricing
At many traditional insurance-based clinics, patients never even hear about cash pricing options. But in Concierge and direct primary care (DPC) practices, transparent and affordable cash pricing is the norm.
At Jacksonville Concierge Medicine, we partner with a nationwide network at Quest that offers our patients deeply discounted lab prices.
Here’s one example:
- A thyroid level (TSH) test costs just $2.75 through our cash pricing system.
- That same test could cost $50–$100 if billed to insurance and denied.
And there’s a catch most patients don’t know: you can’t split-bill a lab test. You must choose upfront whether to use your insurance or pay the cash price. That means if your insurance doesn’t cover it, you’re stuck paying the full “list price” — which can be many times higher than the cash rate.
In some cases, it makes sense to run certain labs through insurance if you know they’ll be covered — and use cash pricing for the rest. Having both options gives you control and flexibility.
The Future of Affordable Lab Work
As insurance companies continue to raise premiums and use algorithms (and even AI) to find new ways to deny coverage, more patients are realizing that direct payment is often simpler, cheaper, and more transparent.
Cash pricing takes the guesswork out of health care.
No surprise bills. No long calls to insurance companies. Just clear, fair pricing upfront.
This approach isn’t just a trend — it’s the future of getting your bloodwork done.
Bottom Line
When you pay cash for your labs:
- You often save 80–90% compared to insurance rates.
- You get faster results and no coverage headaches.
- You stay in control of your care and costs.
At Jacksonville Concierge Medicine, we believe transparency and affordability should be the standard — not the exception.
Skip the insurance hassle. Know your costs upfront. Save your time (and money).
Cash pricing just makes sense.
Go to myjaxconcierge.com to learn more!
-Dr. Kyle Mikals
