Methodology · no invented competitor prices
How to compare lab and imaging prices honestly
Most price comparisons fail for the same reason: the advertised number is not the number you pay. This is the method we use, and a blank worksheet you can use with your own quotes.
We do not publish other providers' prices. Fill this worksheet with quotes you obtain yourself, on the same day, for the same test.
The method
1. Write down the exact test, not the category
A 'thyroid test' can be one analyte or five. A 'CT scan' differs by body region and by whether contrast is used. Two prices are only comparable when the test, the body region and the contrast are identical.
2. Ask for the total, in writing, before anything is ordered
The advertised figure is often only one line of the bill. Ask what you will pay in total, and ask for it in writing or in your patient portal.
3. Add every mandatory fee
Provider order or requisition fee, specimen collection or draw fee, facility or technical fee, professional interpretation fee, processing or service fee, and any mobile-collection fee. If a fee is unavoidable, it belongs in the comparison.
4. Check what happens to abnormal results
A cheap test that comes with nobody to interpret it usually costs more in the end. Ask who reviews the result, whether that review costs extra, and what a repeat test would cost.
5. Compare all-in totals only, and date them
Prices change. Note the date beside each quote. A quote more than a few months old should be re-checked rather than reused.
Blank worksheet
Print this or copy it into a note. Fill one column per place you are considering, then compare only the bottom row.
| Cost line | Option A | Option B | Option C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Test or scan itself | |||
| Provider order / requisition fee | |||
| Blood draw or specimen collection fee | |||
| Facility or technical fee | |||
| Professional interpretation fee | |||
| Processing, booking or service fee | |||
| Mobile collection fee, if used | |||
| Repeat or confirmatory test, if likely | |||
| All-in total, and date quoted |
How we apply this to our own pricing
SAVE UP TO 80–90% ON LABS & IMAGING
- Compared with traditional hospital pricing. No insurance required.
- Not every test or study saves that much; your price is quoted before anything is ordered.
- The saving is stated against traditional hospital pricing for the same study, and applies to services such as X-ray, ultrasound, CT, MRI through participating partners.
Limits of this tool
- It is a method, not a price list. It contains no prices for any provider, including ours.
- It does not tell you which test you need — that is a clinical decision with a provider.
- It cannot tell you what your insurance will pay. Insurance options available; coverage and in-network status vary by plan and must be verified before the visit.