Laboratory Tests
Primary Listings
At-Home Lab Tests – types and costs, including Covid tests Editor's Pick
Learn about 30 types of at-home lab tests. Each test type is described in good detail. Typical costs for home test kits, including 3 types of Covid-related tests, are provided. DNA Ancestry testing is also described, with prices ranging from $59 to $99. Summary from Testing.com (formerly Lab Tests Online), updated October 2022.
Compare At-Home Tests for Covid-19
Healthline reviewed available at-home tests for Covid-19 – both saliva tests and nasal swabs. They selected 12 “best at-home tests” and give a brief comparison of the tests. Seven of the 12 require sending the sample into a lab. They found 16 tests were authorized by the FDA as of January 2022. Some tests are no longer available, however. The original saliva test was developed by Rutgers. The list was published in May 2022.
Coronavirus Lab Tests for COVID-19 (FDA)
The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) describes the different types of coronavirus lab tests for COVID-19: molecular, tests, antibody tests and antigen tests. They have authorized at home tests, at-home collection and point-of-care tests, among others. The FDA is the best authority for learning what tests are authorized, but the site is geared mostly to professionals rather than consumers. A lot of good info here if you can find it. Updated Sept. 2021 by FDA.
Lab Tests Online – testing.com Editor's Pick
Lab Tests Online at testing.com will help you learn about specific clinical lab tests – what they are, why they’re ordered, how they’re used, what the results mean. Details on hundreds of lab tests. The site resulted from collaboration among professional societies representing the clinical laboratory community. The American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) developed the original site in 2001 to help educate the public about lab testing. In January 2021, Lab Tests Online was acquired by OneCare Media. Updated 2022.
Laboratory Tests (MedlinePlus)
Website on laboratory tests addresses common lab tests, home testing, screening tests, basic blood tests, urine tests, saliva tests, stool tests and more. The MedlinePlus site is ad-free.
New York – Clinical Laboratory Evaluation Program (CLEP) – Approved Labs for all types of testing
Find approved laboratories in New York and other states, under the Clinical Laboratory Evaluation Program (CLEP). Labs approved for certain specialty testing are listed by category of testing. Examples include Andrology (fertility assessment e.g. sperm count), Blood transfusion testing, Blood plasma processing, Cellular Immunology, Endocrinology (e.g. thyroid function tests, TSH), Virology, Genetic testing, Toxicology labs, Trace Element labs, Transplant monitoring, labs for oncology tumor markers; many more. More than 650 labs overall in New York. Other states may also have approved labs listed here. For example in May 2022, there were 7 approved labs listed in Minnesota, 10 in Illinois, 77 in California (including 23andMe), 11 in Florida, 33 in Pennsylvania and 34 in Texas.
What Coronavirus and COVID-19 Tests are Available? CDC
What lab tests are available for coronavirus and COVID-19? CDC (Centers for Disease Control outline the kinds of tests that are available. Covers home tests, screening tests, diagnostic tests like RT-PCR (reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction), NAAT, antigen, serology tests for antibodies from people who have been infected with the coronavirus, but recovered, and any other new developments in testing. Updated February 2022.
Other Helpful Listings
American Hospital Directory – Outpatient Charges and Volumes (ahd.com) Editor's Pick
The American Hospital Directory at ahd.com shows average charge and average cost for many hospital outpatient services. Most recent period shows 2021 costs. Charges and average costs for the 20 outpatient Ambulatory Payment Classifications (APCs) that made up the highest Medicare outpatient payment to each hospital. Critical access hospitals are excluded. List varies by hospital. Top 20 procedures may include volume (number of claims) and cost for colonoscopy, laparoscopy, CT, MRI, clinic and emergency (ED or ER) visits, x-ray tests, upper GI, lower GI endoscopy, arthroscopy, cataract with lens, angiography, echocardiography, hernia repair, infusion therapy, nerve injection, observation services, outpatient cardiac catheterization, ultrasound. Scroll to bottom of the hospital page to find Outpatient Utilization Statistics. Some rural critical access hospitals may not show any outpatient test and visit prices. Also shown: inpatient market share by local zip code; net income. Link is to the Free Hospital Information
California – Average Inpatient and Outpatient Prices, 2022 Hospital Chargemaster
California provides average prices for inpatient and outpatient procedures as of June 1, 2022, as listed in each hospital’s chargemaster. All CA hospitals are included. Excel files show prices for at least 25 common outpatient procedures. ER visits, MRI and CT test prices should be included, along with selected outpatient surgery. The average cost (charge) for top 25 types of outpatient procedures or surgery includes CPT codes. Outpatient reports may show hospital prices for Emergency Room visits, office visit code 99213, lab tests, CT, MRI, Mammogram, x-ray, ultrasound, Physical Therapy visit, Arthroscopy, colonoscopy, endoscopy, carpal tunnel, hernia repair, gall bladder removal (laparoscopic cholecystectomy), lumbar injections, tonsillectomy, ear tubes and more, depending on each hospital’s highest volume.
California 2022 inpatient prices are listed only in each hospital’s massive and complicated Charge Master, which shows the charge for every pill, lab test and hospital room rate. This is where you will find maternity, obstetrics, newborn nursery, labor and delivery charges. But you may need to wade through more than 10,000 individual services listed in the chargemaster to find what you want to know. Files are in Excel file format. Prices are from 2022. Consumers can see one hospital at a time by downloading their chargemaster file. Provided through California OSHPD, the state government Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development.
Genomics – CDC Office of Public Health Genomics & Precision Health
Learn about genomics and precision health from CDC. Find out the definition of Genomics, and find resources on subjects such as genetic testing and newborn screening, family history for cancer, and prenatal testing. Genetics: the study of inheritance. Genomics: the study of people’s genes and how they interact with each other and with the environment. CDC Office of Public Health Genomics explains how Clinical genetic tests are different from direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic tests. Precision Health includes precision medicine plus using personal mobile devices to support healthy living. See “Hot Topics of the Day” if you want to read the latest. Updated 2023.
Glossary – Lab Tests Online – testing.com
Use this Glossary from testing.com (formerly Lab Tests Online) to find out lab tests mean. Or use the Top Tests drop-down tab to find definitions of common lab tests like CBC, lipid profile, blood tests like hemoglobin, etc. Tons of information. Adheres to HONcode
Hospital Clinic and Office Visit Charges and Medicare Payments 2020
Find Hospital Clinic and Office Visit charges (average price) for 2020, and the payments that Medicare made. Find average charges for about 13,000 different codes (depending whether office or hospital facility-based). National average prices are in a large dataset file. Extremely difficult to use, even if somewhat familiar with using Excel files. File uses HCPCS codes. The most common codes were office visits 99213 (average charge about $149) and 99214 (average charge about $222). Medicare allowed about $72 for code 99213 and about $105 for 99214. Therapeutic exercise (code 97110) had average charge of $63, with Medicare allowing about $26. Lab tests, x-ray, emergency department visits are in the file. An Emergency Department visit (code 99285) had a national average facility charge of $1,201, with Medicare allowing just $174 for the ER visit facility charge. A CBC lab test 85025 had an average charge of $35 (Medicare allowed $8); a blood test coded 88053 had an average charge of $56, with Medicare allowing $10. State by state average prices are also listed. Physician charges may be available in the Provider dataset. Calendar year 2020 data from CMS updated July 2022.
Maine – Average Cost for Hospital and Doctor Visits (2020-2021) Editor's Pick
Find the average cost for both hospital and doctor visits in Maine in 2020 to 2021. These “costs” may be less than charges or prices, since they are what 35 commercial payers actually paid for the service in the 12 months ending March 31, 2021. Compare costs at different clinics and hospitals. Average cost for an ER visit in Maine was $604 for a moderate severity emergency department visit (before adding lab, imaging and other tests). A high severity visit (code 99284) to the ED cost $1,029 before other test costs were added in. Average vaginal delivery costs (median payment) was $16,451 for Childbirth delivery and 60 days of related care. This was up 15% from the prior year. (Does include physician care, but probably not newborn charges). An uncomplicated C-Section averaged $24,257, up 8%. Find costs for other surgeries by hospital, such as hip or knee joint replacement, arthroscopy, colonoscopy, hernia repair, tonsillectomy and gall bladder surgery. Find many median (middle) payments here physician office visits ($116 average cost for 15-minute appt for an established patient 99213), CT, MRI, x-ray, lab tests and more. A one hour crisis psychotherapy visit averaged $218. An ongoing 60 minute psychotherapy visit (90837) cost $100 on average. Uses CPT codes. All “average cost” figures are actually median payment. Almost 8 million claims were analyzed. However, no Medicare or Medicaid claims were included. More surgery costs were added this past year, so we are giving this the Editor’s Pick award. From Maine Health Data Organization in State of Maine
MN Physician fees, office visit cost, lab test cost, more
Find how much physician office visits cost for over 100 professional services in Minnesota, ND, SD, WI through Minnesota HealthScores’ Cost Report feature. Click on tab “Average Cost of Procedure”. Compare costs paid over 200 participating medical groups and hospitals, and hundreds of clinic locations in Minnesota, and some border communities, for doctor office visits, eye care, lab tests, vasectomy, minor office surgical procedures such as ear wax removal, circumcision and skin lesion removal; immunization, psychotherapy and mental health visits, x-ray, MRI, acupuncture, physical therapy. Some Obstetric services, including colposcopy. Medical groups include Allina, Altru, Apple Valley, Aspen, Avera, Brainerd, Children’s Physician Network, Dakota Clinic, Edina, Fairview, Fergus, Grand Itasca, Gundersen, HealthEast, HealthPartners, Lakewood, Mankato, Mayo Clinic, MeritCare, Innovis, North Memorial, Northstar, Olmsted, Osceola, Park Nicollet, Regina, Ridgeview, Sanford, St. Cloud CentraCare, St. Luke’s, St. Mary’s Duluth Clinic, Stillwater, United, University of Minnesota, Winona Clinic, and more; OB-GYN clinics. Report by MN Community Measurement. Interactive easy-to-use format. Costs shown are claims through BCBS, Health Partners, Medica, and Preferred One in 2020, published in 2022. Theses costs are the amounts paid after discounts. Useful website, though tiny print.
New Hampshire Prices for Physician Visits, ER, Outpatient Hospital and Dental Care – Compare (free) Editor's Pick
Compare New Hampshire prices for physician office visits, Emergency Room, psychotherapy, dental care, hospital outpatient lab tests, PT visits and some surgery. Ambulance and medium level ER prices are included in NH. Prices are estimated at 2021-2022 prices plus 5% price inflation. Statewide cost estimate is also shown. (Example is $286 average cost for an office visit 99214. But for the uninsured, costs after discounts in a few towns could be below $100.) Choose Medical or Dental. The average dental cleaning for an adult cost $122. The average cost for a comprehensive dental exam in New Hampshire is estimated at $120. Select insurance, or uninsured to compare charges with your deductible. “Show All Procedures” will let you select procedure, test (e.g. lab, Radiology such as x-ray, MRI, CT or ultrasound), office visit or service. Tonsillectomy, gall bladder surgery, hernia repair, colonoscopy and a few other surgeries are bundled to include surgeon and anesthesia costs. Price transparency project developed by the New Hampshire Insurance Department. NH HealthCost is an excellent website, easy to navigate. It is more current than most, and has earned Editor’s Pick.
Prostate Problems: Medical Tests
This ad-free website on prostate problems describes medical tests such as the PSA test (prostate-specific antigen), digital rectal exam, Transrectal Ultrasound with Prostate Biopsy, urodynamic tests, cystoscopy, MRI, CT, and more. Site by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of NIH
Self-Reported Lab Test Prices (self-pay) – Prairie Lakes
Prairie Lakes Healthcare System in Watertown, SD offers a direct lab access program for the public (no physician order needed) for self-pay patients. Prices include pregnancy test, cardiac risk assessment profile, CBC, cholesterol screen, glucose test, A1C test ($15, diabetes control), hemoglobin, lipid panel, metabolic panel, PSA test ($35), TSH (thyroid), urinalysis and more. Many tests cost $5 to $35. A SARS-CoV2-IgG-Antibody test costs $70.
Vermont – 2022 Outpatient Diagnostic Test Prices
Compare 2022 Vermont hospital outpatient diagnostic test prices for lab work, x-ray & imaging tests. Scroll to Pricing of Common Services at Community Hospitals, Pricing by Service Type. MRI charges with physician fee averaged $2,896 to $5,118. CT scan of head, neck, face, chest, spine, pelvis, abdomen (overall CT average $1,816 to $4,751); screening mammograms average $726 with physician charge. Specific test prices for urinalysis, glucose, Metabolic Panel ($127 average cost), lipid panel ($117), PSA test (average cost $188, hospital range 74 to 311), CBC (VT range $ 68 to $84), strep test group A swab ($74 state average), Pap test, blood typing, OB ultrasound first trimester, x-rays, Cardiology EKG or echocardiogram, PT evaluation, colonoscopies ($4,324 without biopsy) and more. CPT codes listed. Prices good through Sept. 2022. Tables 3B through 3O. Vermont probably has the best State site for hospital outpatient diagnostic test cost comparison. However, consumers may have to check multiple reports to find the test they are looking for. It can be a slow process. Published 2022.
Health Conditions, Glossary and Specialty Reports
