Affordalab helps people save money on medical tests

After closing a location in Wichita in 2007, Affordalab now stands a better chance of succeeding here, its staff says. Why?

“Basically, health care didn’t suck as much then as it does now,” said Edgar Salazar, director of marketing for the direct-to-consumer medical laboratory.

And insurance deductibles have risen sharply since then.

Affordalab was started in Hays more than a decade ago by pathologist Ward Newcomb. Its current location in east Wichita, between Rock and Webb roads, opened 15 months ago. There’s also a branch in Denver.

Newcomb also owns pathology laboratories that operate alongside Affordalab in all three cities.

Affordalab allows customers to order their own lab tests with or without a physician’s order, as Kansas law permits.

Tanya Brooks, a physician’s assistant who works in marketing for Affordalab, said the company almost guarantees customers will save money compared with what they would normally pay in deductibles or, in the case of uninsured people, for the entire cost of the work.

For instance, a package of blood tests typically given to people with their annual physical was on special for $21 this week, down from the regular price of $25. The package measures things such as blood count, cholesterol, liver and kidney functions and more.

Another common test related to prostate health costs $15.

“Often you’re paying a higher co-pay” than that, Brooks said. “And often you get a bill from your doctor’s office for even more than that.”

The lab offers dozens of tests, for everything from female hormones ($188) and gonorrhea ($27) to arsenic ($82) and liver fibrosis ($405).

Affordalab does not charge customers for a certified phlebotomist to draw blood, Brooks said, and the results are usually available within 24 to 48 hours. The lab is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and no appointment is necessary.

The lab does not accept insurance, which is “what keeps our prices low,” Brooks said.

The lab will also send test results to a customer’s physician at no extra charge if desired, Brooks said.

While many customers order tests as directed by a physician or other health provider, some simply want to track their own health. The lab offers no diagnosis of results, Brooks said.

“There are some individuals who take health and fitness on a personal level,” Salazar said.

Some customers want to bring their tests to their appointment with a physician, rather than wait for a follow-up visit or call to learn what they hold, Brooks said.

Affordalab will also travel to businesses and other organizations that want to offer their employees tests as part of a health fair or other event.

Brooks said she hopes to encourage more physicians to refer patients to Affordalab.

“I’ve used this company both as a patient and a provider, and their service is very good,” she said.

This story was originally published November 23, 2016 at 5:35 AM with the headline "Affordalab helps people save money on medical tests."