Lab Fees: FSA Eligibility

What are lab 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 consumer-directed healthcare accounts. Lab fees related to dental or vision expenses are eligible with a limited purpose flexible spending account.

Lab 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 lab 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 lab tests that incur lab fees. If a lab 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 lab fees include dermatology appointments, gynecology appointments, oncology appointments, neurology appointments, and prenatal appointments.

Because lab 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.