We all get older and with older age comes the body breaking down. It starts at 50 when a person goes to bifocals and goes downhill from there. Lately something came up in my blood work that wasn't critical or anything, but it may not be a nuisance either. So I didn't like my blood work and doing some google searches found out that certain medicines may be causing me to be dehydrated which would mess up my kidney function blood work.
So I got off this med and wanted to see another copy of updated blood work, but insurance only allows so many trips to the lab to get some blood work done. So if I wanted it done, I would have to pay out of pocket. I had no idea who would do this or how much it would cost. None.
So I go to the quest diagnostic website and find out I can get one urine test and two blood work results for $105 and they would draw the blood there. Not bad, and Dr. Dear John orders the blood work and an appointment.
While there one of the vampires (lab techs) tells me about a web site called jasonhealth.com. For $23, yes twenty three dollars, I can have a full kidney test with urine and about 10 other blood results that I ordered myself. Nothing to it, just have an appointment date and time through either quest or labcorp. There is no difference between me or my doctor ordering the tests. The results are usually online within around 30 hours, and since there is no doctor giving the tests, the results don't go to the doctor and have the doctor view them, then send the results. The tests ordered by a doctor don't have priority in getting the results versus results through jasonhealth.
If you have any idea of getting blood work done, just go to the website and type in what kind of test you need. No insurance needed, all these prices are out of pocket. For the gentlemen a prostrate test is 15 dollars, plus I think a 20 dollar fee to the lab. For the ladies a pregnancy test is around 20 plus lab fee. I do think a STD panel is around 100 dollars. For diabetics an A1C test is 15 dollars plus the 20 lab fee.
Here is an example of a standard lipid test. Cost 10 plus 20 lab fee and covers all of this.
Clinical significance: The Lipid Panel, Standard measures serum cholesterol and triglyceride (TG) levels; it includes evaluation of the cholesterol/HDL-C ratio (calculated), HDL-C, LDL-C (calculated), non-HDL-C (calculated), total cholesterol, and TG. Comprehensive lipid assessment aids in the evaluation of cardiovascular risk and the likelihood of suffering an ischemic event. It is also useful for the prevention and management of atherosclerotic disease, as well as the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome [1]. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States
These tests can be done on the down low. No doctors, nobody knows.
For those with kidney issues, here is what 23 dollars will get you.
About Our Renal Function Panel Test
Overnight fasting is preferred for this test.
What's Included
- Glucose (Glucose)
- Urea Nitrogen (BUN) (Urea nitrogen)
- Creatinine (Creatinine)
- eGFR Non-Afr. American (Glomerular filtration rate/1.73 sq M.predicted)
- eGFR African American (Glomerular filtration rate/1.73 sq M.predicted.black)
- BUN/Creatinine Ratio (Urea nitrogen/Creatinine)
- Sodium (Sodium)
- Potassium (Potassium)
- Chloride (Chloride)
- Carbon Dioxide (Carbon dioxide)
- Calcium (Calcium)
- Phosphate (as Phosphorus) (Phosphate)
- Albumin (Albumin)
Hopefully my two best friends pitroom and pxmcc can also be helped by this post.
