Labs
At ASKDRSKIP.COM, PLLC, we’re dedicated to providing you with the best possible healthcare experience, restoring you to complete wellness through true integrative care. To achieve this, Dr. Skip, O.M.D., relies on the proper tools to determine the right course of action and therapies. This often includes laboratory testing, which allows us to gain a comprehensive understanding of your physiological health.
These functional labs might include any or all of the following:
See the linked pages for more information on any of the above testing.
Out of Pocket Lab Cost:
We understand concerns about the potential costs of laboratory testing, as they can be significant and often require retests. However, when dealing with chronic health issues and stress on the body, Dr. Skip believes in leaving no stone unturned to find the root cause. Ordering a complete set of lab tests upfront allows us to deploy proper therapies promptly, potentially saving costs in the long run. It’s better to gather full data and address the problem directly rather than using piecemeal testing and hoping for a quick fix.
The appointment option below offers extended time for you and Dr. Skip to discuss your full medical history and determine appropriate testing, particularly for complex, chronic issues. However, if you’re seeking quality of life or palliative care, we also offer appointments tailored to those needs. Learn more (click).
We do not bill insurance for labs, but can provide you a list of tests for your PCP, however, we yet to find a PCP that can request the extensive labs we require for a functional assessment to be covered by insurance or that can match the discounted pricing of labs we provide to our patients. You can always request a ‘No Strings Attached’ estimate from your provider that must fall within $400 out of pocket or you may dispute that charge.
If you wish to order your labs through an in-network lab that will bill your insurance company, and you have a high deductible, beware. Recently, a client of ours ran a panel of blood tests (very similar to those we order in our functional endocrinology labs test) with their local provider. They billed her insurance company over $3,000 for a panel that costs our clients a fraction of that cost when paid without insurance. If this happens to you and you have not met your deductible, you may end up spending way more. You can always request a ‘No Strings Attached’ estimate from your provider that must fall within $400 out of pocket or you may dispute that charge.
When you use insurance, the insurance company may decide that a lab test, therapy or procedure is not necessary regardless of what the doctor wants or feels is most beneficial for your health. If this happens, the insurance company may require additional documentation from your doctor to verify the medical necessity of the lab test. If the insurance company feels this additional information still does not prove medical necessity, they may deny coverage for part or all of the labs. This will mean that you are responsible for the retail price of the denied services.
Unfortunately, there is no way to know what they will cover until you submit the charges. And by this time, you have already agreed to pay the lab whatever portion of their charges are not covered by insurance. You may decide that it is less troublesome and costly in the long run to use our lab, at our low negotiated rates (forgoing possible insurance reimbursement) than to go through your insurance company and roll the dice.
Dr. Skip, O.M.D. evaluates all lab tests for informational purposes only, with no implication of diagnosis of any disease whatsoever. Dr. Skip will not suggest that you discontinue any medications or therapies that were recommended by a medical provider.