Checking to make sure the doctor you choose is in your health insurance network is common practice these days, but what about when that doctor orders lab work for you?
James Dell’Arena, director of Network Operations & Medical Cost Strategy for Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, points out that picking an out-of-network lab that can easily climb into the thousands of dollars of out-of-pocket costs for an unsuspecting patient.
In this article from Horizon Health News, he offers some do’s and don’ts when it comes to lab services that will help reduce out-of-pocket costs and prevent people from getting stuck with surprise out-of-network bills.
“Finding an in-network lab has never been easier for Horizon members,” he writes. “We expanded our lab network on Jan. 1. As a result, 90 percent of our members now live less than 10 miles from an in-network lab patient service center.”
