How much do lab procedures cost?

Medicare benchmark rates for common lab procedures range from $3.83 to $24.31. Commercial insurers typically pay 1.2–2× these rates. Your actual cost depends on your plan, deductible, and whether the provider is in network.

How do I know if my lab bill is too high?

Compare the amount you were charged to the Medicare benchmark for that specific CPT code. If your bill is more than about 2–3× the Medicare rate, it may be worth requesting an itemized bill and negotiating or appealing.

Lab Costs

Medicare benchmark rates for 13 common lab procedures, ranging from $3.83 to $24.31. Use these as a reference to check whether your bill is fair.

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Complete Blood Count (CBC) with DifferentialCPT 85025$10.71Medicare rate Complete Blood Count (CBC) without DifferentialCPT 85027$9.72Medicare rate Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP)CPT 80053$14.22Medicare rate Basic Metabolic Panel (BMP)CPT 80048$11.86Medicare rate Lipid Panel (Cholesterol)CPT 80061$19.89Medicare rate Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)CPT 83036$12.26Medicare rate Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)CPT 84443$18.74Medicare rate Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA)CPT 84153$24.31Medicare rate Blood Glucose TestCPT 82947$6.27Medicare rate Creatinine Blood TestCPT 82565$7.95Medicare rate ALT Liver Enzyme TestCPT 84460$7.95Medicare rate AST Liver Enzyme TestCPT 84450$7.95Medicare rate Routine Blood Draw (Venipuncture)CPT 36415$3.83Medicare rate

Understanding lab costs

Lab charges are small individually but multiply quickly, and they are billed by whoever runs the test — which may be a reference lab you never saw, not the office that drew your blood. The two recurring cost problems are panels billed as separate components (unbundling) and large markups when a test is sent to an out-of-network reference lab.

For lab services, commercial insurers typically pay between $4.60 and $48.62 across this category — roughly 1.2 to 2 times Medicare. If you were billed significantly more than the commercial range for your specific procedure, the excess may be negotiable.

Click any procedure above to see its detailed Medicare rate, the typical commercial range, and specific steps for disputing an overcharge.

Common billing problems with lab charges

Unbundled panels

Common panels (a metabolic panel, a lipid panel, a CBC) have a single bundled code. When the individual component tests are billed separately, the total often exceeds the bundled panel price. Compare your line items against the standard panel definition.

Out-of-network reference lab

Your in-network doctor can send your sample to an out-of-network lab. Ask which lab processed the test and whether an in-network option was available — this is a frequent source of surprise lab bills.

Duplicate draws or repeated tests

Watch for the same test billed twice on one date, or a venipuncture (draw) fee charged multiple times for a single blood draw.

How to push back on a lab charge

For unbundling, ask the lab to rebill using the correct panel code. For out-of-network labs, ask both your insurer and the lab whether the claim can be reprocessed at the in-network rate.

Rates shown are 2024 CMS Medicare national average payment rates and are provided for informational purposes only. Actual payments vary by geographic area, facility type, and payer contract. This is not medical or financial advice.