Laboratory Fees: HSA Eligibility

What are laboratory fees?

Laboratory fees are expenses associated with laboratory test work for medical procedures and diagnostics. These fees are related to medical care and are eligible with consider-directed healthcare accounts. Lab fees related to dental or vision expenses are eligible with a limited purpose flexible spending account.

Laboratory fees usually cover preventive care such as screenings and tests for suspected diseases or medical conditions that are likely for a given demographic, based on age, gender, risk factors, etc. Examples of preventive care for which a laboratory fee might be charged include diabetes screening, hepatitis B screening, cervical dysplasia screening, lead screening, vision screening, breast cancer mammography screenings, human papilloma virus (HPV) DNA testing, and more.

Medical doctors will order the laboratory tests that incur laboratory fees. If a laboratory fee is part of the expense, it's because a test requires the use of laboratory technicians and equipment. Most tests to screen for medical conditions require the support of a medical testing laboratory. The most common type of medical appointments that entail laboratory fees include dermatology appointments, gynecology appointments, oncology appointments, neurology appointments, and prenatal appointments.

Because laboratory fees are part of visiting a medical doctor and receiving health care in a hospital or clinic, they do not require a prescription or Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN) in order to be considered eligible for reimbursement with a consumer-directed healthcare account.