BUN & Creatinine lab tests vary by facility & location. For 40% of high-deductible patients insurance no longer covers BUN & Creatinine lab test cost until they reach their $6,000 to $18,000 deductible. Patients are expected to pay out of pocket between $8 – $66 for a combination of BUN & Creatinine lab tests that help calculate BUN/Creatinine ratio. It’s essential that you do your research first before going to the closest facility you were directed by your doctor.
To evaluate the health of your kidneys; to help diagnose kidney disease; to monitor the effectiveness of dialysis and other treatments related to kidney disease or damage
Sometimes doctors examine the relationship between a person’s BUN and blood creatinine to help determine the causes of these higher than normal levels. The BUN / creatinine ratio is usually between 10:1 and 20:1. The increase in the ratio may be due to a condition that causes decreased renal blood flow, such as congestive heart failure or dehydration. It can also manifest as an increase in protein content, gastrointestinal bleeding or an increase in protein in the diet. The ratio may decrease with liver disease (due to reduced urea production) and malnutrition. This is often prescribed before an imaging test, to see if liver can process the contrast solution.
The BUN test is used in conjunction with the creatinine test primarily to evaluate renal function in a wide range of circumstances, to help diagnose kidney disease, and to monitor people with a kidney disorder or failure. It can also be used to evaluate your overall health, which is ordered as part of a kidney panel, a basic metabolic panel, or a complete metabolic panel.
The great news is that with an outpatient laboratory center you can often negotiate a better rate if you pay in cash. The center saves on billing costs and removes the hassle of dealing with insurance companies, so they can provide you with large discounts. You can pay as little as $8 for a BUN test . Which means you will save ~75% vs. the sticker price.
Hospitals directly refer their patients to their imaging facilities, so they are not directly motivated to provide affordable service. Especially research hospitals such as UCSF or Stanford are among the most expensive in the country. For instance, 2 years ago Stanford charged a patient $25,000+ for a single MRI.