Direct Pay
Patient pays New Century Labs directly for lab testing.
PatientNew Century Labs
Which Cash-Pay Lab Model Lets Your Clinic Get Paid the Right Way?
See when to use Direct Pay, when a transparent Service Fee makes sense, and when Self-Managed pricing needs legal review.
New Century Labs supports all three billing workflows: Direct PayService FeeSelf-Managed Pricing
Educational overview, not legal advice · Last reviewed July 2026 · Choose a starting point here, then confirm it with counsel.
Plain-English answer
For most clinics, Direct Pay — the patient pays the lab directly — is the simplest fit and works in the most states. Add a clearly disclosed Service Fee to capture the value of work your clinic actually performs, and treat Self-Managed pricing as a decision to make with counsel after state and payer review.
Three billing workflows
Direct Pay, Service Fee, and Self-Managed Pricing
Service Fee
Clinic may charge a transparent fee for professional/admin services.
PatientNew Century Labs + Clinic fee
Self-Managed Pricing
Clinic controls patient pricing where state law and payer context allow.
PatientClinicNew Century Labs
When to use each model
Use Direct Pay when…
- You want the simplest, most transparent launch, with no lab rebilling.
- You’re in a stricter state, or you’re not sure what yours allows.
- You see Medicare patients and want to avoid referral-linked compensation.
Use Service Fee when…
- Your clinic does real work around the order: consultation, interpretation, coordination, or care planning.
- You want to capture the value of that work with a clearly disclosed fee while lab pricing stays separate.
- You can keep the fee tied to services performed, not to the lab result or its value.
Use Self-Managed Pricing when…
- Your state law, payer context, and practice structure support it.
- You’ve reviewed the approach with counsel.
- You need to bundle labs into a broader cash-pay or membership program, with patient disclosure where required.
Three quick scenarios
- Oregon clinic, Medicare-heavy panel — Direct Pay, with any clinic fee separate and documented.
- Concierge clinic doing interpretation and care planning — Direct Pay plus a transparent Service Fee for the clinic’s own work.
- Cash-pay clinic in a permissive state, counsel on board — Self-Managed pricing may be possible, with clear disclosure of the performing lab and charges.
Decision table
| Your clinic situation | Recommended workflow |
|---|---|
| We want the simplest launch | Direct Pay |
| We want to charge for review or follow-up | Direct Pay + Service Fee |
| We’re in a strict anti-markup or direct-billing state | Direct Pay |
| We want to bundle labs into a membership or cash-pay program | Self-Managed, only after counsel review |
| We see Medicare patients | Extra caution; Direct Pay plus a separate documented professional fee |
Medicare-sensitive orders: New Century Labs’ cash-pay workflow is intended for non-covered or patient-requested testing where Medicare is not billed. Covered, medically necessary Medicare services require a different billing analysis.
Estimate
Compare patient cost and service-fee impact
Choose your starting point, then confirm it with counsel. The right model depends on your state, payer mix, and patient population.
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Common lab test mix
Based on frequently ordered tests across New Century Labs practices.
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Common lab test mix
How you bill patients
Patient pays New Century Labs directly
Add a transparent service fee
$
You control patient pricing
%
Estimated patient savings
For your practice
$0
saved per patient
Your patient pays $0 instead of $0 when insurance falls short.
For your practice
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How you can bill for lab work is regulated and varies by state. You're responsible for choosing a model that complies with your state's rules. This is an illustration, not legal advice; we'll help you find the right fit on the call.
FAQ
Can we use different billing models for different patients?
Yes. Many clinics use Direct Pay for Medicare-sensitive patients and a Service Fee elsewhere. Keep each patient’s paperwork consistent with the model actually used.
What’s the fastest way to launch cash-pay labs?
Direct Pay. There’s no rebilling to set up: the patient pays New Century Labs directly, and your clinic starts ordering.
Can we change billing models later?
Yes — clinics often start with Direct Pay and add a Service Fee once the workflow settles. Review changes with counsel the same way you reviewed the original setup.
Written by New Century Labs and reviewed for operational accuracy by the New Century Labs team — not reviewed as legal advice. Last reviewed July 2026; laws and payer rules may change. Confirm the right workflow for your practice with your healthcare counsel.
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Next step
Talk through the right cash-pay lab workflow for your practice.
New Century Labs supports multiple billing workflows so clinics and their counsel can choose the structure that fits their state, payer mix, and practice model. Choose your starting point, then confirm it with counsel — we’ll help you compare Direct Pay, Service Fee, and Self-Managed pricing.