Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Preparing for My Test
My doctor said I need to fast for my test. What is fasting?
Will the blood draw be painful?
How long will the specimen collection process take?
How long does THC stay in urine?
Locations/Appointments
How do I find the nearest PeaceHealth Laboratories Patient Service Center?
Why has my physician sent me to PeaceHealth Laboratories for testing-and how will I receive my results?
How do I get a copy of my lab results?
Billing
What personal and insurance information will be required, and how will billing be handled?
What insurances does PeaceHealth Laboratories bill?
What if I don’t have Insurance?
Why have I received a bill from PeaceHealth Laboratories?
How often will PeaceHealth Laboratories bill me?
What methods of payment does PeaceHealth Laboratories accept?
How can I find out if my insurance company has paid my claim?
Why didn’t my insurance pay for my testing?
Why do I need to provide billing information every time I have work done at PeaceHealth Laboratories?
I have received a notification from a collection agency; what should I do?
Medicare
How is Billing handled if I’m a Medicare patient?
What is a Medicare ABN?
Why didn’t Medicare pay for all my testing?
Preparing for My Test
My doctor said I need to fast for my test. What is fasting? Top
To ensure the most accurate results, certain tests require that you “fast” before arriving at the patient service center. In most cases, unless otherwise directed, avoid eating or drinking anything except water for 12 hours before the sample is taken. That includes gum, hard candy and all other beverages.
Will the blood draw be painful? Top
Although some patients do experience a slight discomfort when their blood is drawn, rest assured that our skilled, experienced phlebotomists will do their best to help you remain as relaxed and comfortable as possible.
How long will the specimen collection process take? Top
We recognize that your time is valuable, so we try to keep wait times as short as possible. Except during high-volume times-mornings, early in the week and around beginning of the month-you can expect to wait 10 minutes or less from check in / registration until the phlebotomist (individual with special training to draw blood) calls you.
Locations/Appointments
How do I find the nearest PeaceHealth Laboratories Patient Service Center? Top
PeaceHealth Laboratories operates Patient Service Centers in Oregon and Washington.Click here for a complete listing, including addresses, phone numbers and directions.
Why has my physician sent me to PeaceHealth Laboratories for testing-and how will I receive my results? Top
PeaceHealth Laboratories is a “test specialist,” separate from your doctor’s office, and we perform tests that are not usually done in the doctor’s office. We are an independent facility, which means that test billing is handled separately from your other medical bills. In most cases, the laboratory report containing your test results is sent to the health care provider who ordered the test. For information about your results, please contact your ordering physician.
How do I get a copy of my lab results? Top
While PeaceHealth Laboratories believes that your physician is best equipped to interpret your lab results because they have the complete clinical picture, patients may request their lab results directly from the lab.
- In Oregon: To give the physician time to review lab results and notify patients of their findings, Oregon law requires the lab to wait 7 days from the final lab report before sending a written copy to the requesting patient. To request results contact PeaceHealth Laboratories client services at 541.341.8010 or 800.826.3616, ext. 8010 or from Portland at 866.511.5963.
- In Washington: you may fill out a release form when you arrive for your test(s) and a copy of the results will be mailed when the final results are available. You may also present a photo ID at any of our Patient Service Centers and we will provide you a print out of your results. You may also phone our Bellingham office at 360-788-6330 to receive a release form. You will be provided a unique ID code. You may call any time the test is complete to obtain results by providing your ID code. Release forms are valid for one year from the date of submission.
Billing
What personal and insurance information will be required, and how will billing be handled? Top
PeaceHealth Laboratories is an outside resource used by your health care provider, and because we’re separate we must collect certain information from you. When you arrive at an PeaceHealth Laboratories Patient Service Center, you’ll be asked to provide the following documents and information:
- The lab order (also called a requisition) provided by your doctor’s office
- Your name, gender, and date of birth. You may be asked for your Social Security Number for trending of certain tests your physician is following such as tumor markers.
- The name of the physician who ordered the test
- Your insurance card and billing information
As a service to patients, PeaceHealth Laboratories bills most “primary” insurance companies or health plans. If you do not have insurance coverage, we will bill you directly.
What insurances does PeaceHealth Laboratories bill? Top
We will bill most primary insurance companies. If you think that we may not have your current insurance information on file, please contact the PeaceHealth Laboratories Patient Accounts team at 541-341-8021 or 800-826-3616, ext. 8021.
What if I don’t have Insurance?
Our EasyAccess Savings Program was created for unisured patients.Learn more here.
Why have I received a bill from PeaceHealth Laboratories? Top
PeaceHealth Laboratories has received information from either your ordering physician or your insurance company indicating patient responsibility for testing services. For further information on the specific nature of the bill, please contact our Patient Accounts team at 541-341-8021 or 800-826-3616, ext. 8021.
How often will PeaceHealth Laboratories bill me? Top
We will send you a bill for each lab visit approximately once per month. Payment is expected promptly upon receipt of the bill.
What methods of payment does PeaceHealth Laboratories accept? Top
We are pleased to accept payment for laboratory service bills using any of the following methods:
- Credit/Debit Cards
- Visa
- MasterCard
- Discover
- American Express
- Personal Check
- Money Order
You may mail any payments to:
PeaceHealth Laboratories
PO Box 77003
Eugene OR 97401
Please remember to attach the stub of the PeaceHealth Laboratories bill when mailing in payment and include your account/invoice number on the check.
You may also pay online at www.peacehealthlabs.org/billing
How can I find out if my insurance company has paid my claim? Top
If PeaceHealth Laboratories received your correct insurance information at the time of your service, you should not receive a bill from us until your insurance has responded. Please read your bill carefully. A line-item adjustment will be printed on your bill if we have received payment from the insurance company. If you are still uncertain, you may either contact your insurance company directly or contact Patient Accounts at the telephone number printed on your bill.
Why didn’t my insurance pay for my testing? Top
You should have received an Explanation of Benefits from your insurance carrier that explains in detail the services either paid for or denied. If you need further assistance determining the reason(s) your insurance company did not pay for your bill, please contact your insurance carrier directly.
Why do I need to provide billing information every time I have work done at PeaceHealth Laboratories? Top
Each testing order sent to PeaceHealth Laboratories is given a new invoice number and treated as a new bill. Therefore, we require complete billing information each time testing is requested to make sure the correct party is billed for the services we provide.
I have received a notification from a collection agency; what should I do? Top
PeaceHealth Laboratories makes every effort to allow you or your insurance company to submit payment for your laboratory services. If you have received a bill from an outside collection service, payment must be made directly to that agency. Please contact the collection service directly using the information provided on the statement.
Medicare
How is Billing handled if I’m a Medicare patient? Top
Medicare pays for most laboratory testing, but there are exceptions. PeaceHealth Laboratories will bill you only if or when the Medicare carrier denies payment and lists “patient responsibility” as the reason. There are three lab services payment categories for which payment rules apply:
- Medical necessity testing. Your doctor may decide a test is necessary regardless of Medicare’s payment rules, and some tests are covered only for certain diagnoses. You may be asked to sign an Advanced Beneficiary Notice or ABN (see question below), accepting financial responsibility in the event your diagnosis is not covered.
- Screening tests. Medicare pays for certain screening tests on a fixed time schedule-such as Pap tests every two years. Tests performed more frequently than allowed may not be covered, so you will be asked to sign an ABN.
- Non-covered tests. Certain tests are never covered by Medicare. In those cases, PeaceHealth Laboratories first bills Medicare for the tests; when the denial is received, PeaceHealth Laboratories bills you directly.
What is a Medicare ABN? Top
An ABN (Advance Beneficiary Notice) is a form you will be asked to sign at a PeaceHealth Laboratories testing site or at your physician’s office if the staff determines that Medicare may not pay for your laboratory testing. Medicare does not pay for all laboratory testing, and the ABN will explain which tests are not likely to be covered.
The fact that Medicare may not pay for a particular item or service does not mean that you should not receive it. There may be a good reason your doctor recommended it. The purpose of the ABN is to help you make an informed choice about whether or not you want to receive these laboratory tests, knowing that you might have to pay for them yourself.
Why didn’t Medicare pay for all my testing? Top
Medicare does not cover all health care costs. Medicare may deny payment on tests deemed not medically necessary, screening tests performed more frequently than guidelines allow, or experimental or research use testing. Medicare will not make a determination on payment allowance until after the testing is performed; however, the ABN will help you determine which tests are likely to be declined for payment.