Pillar Page • 494 Comparisons

Function Health vs Insurance: Lab Cost Comparison Across 14 Insurers & 42 States

Name: Function Health vs Insurance Lab Cost Comparison Dataset
Creator: BiomarkerList
Keywords: function health vs insurance, lab work cost comparison, biomarker testing cost, insurance lab costs

Browse cost comparisons across 12 insurance providers in 42 states. Average savings: $2,050/year.

494

Total Comparisons

$2,050

Avg. Annual Savings

States Covered

Insurers Analyzed

How much does biomarker testing actually cost through your insurance? That is the question we set out to answer. Over several months, we compiled real-world pricing data from 14 major insurance providers across 42 states, covering eight key biomarker tests that Function Health includes in its standard $499/year membership (or approximately $365/year with a promo code). Our methodology was straightforward: for each insurer in each state, we calculated the total out-of-pocket cost a member would pay for a Basic Metabolic Panel, Lp(a), Fasting Insulin, ApoB, Omega-3 Index, Toxic Metals Panel, CRP, and Vitamin D — including copays, coinsurance, lab facility fees, and physician review fees. We then compared those totals against Function Health's flat annual rate. The results paint a clear picture. Across 594 unique insurer-state combinations, the average annual cost of getting these eight tests through insurance is $2,416 — more than six times what Function Health charges. And that comparison only covers eight biomarkers. Function Health tests over 100. This page breaks down the data by insurer, by state, and highlights the specific tests that insurance consistently fails to cover.

Methodology

Our comparison dataset includes 594 unique insurer-state combinations covering 14 major insurance providers and 42 states. For each combination, we researched the actual out-of-pocket cost a typical member would pay for eight biomarker tests: Basic Metabolic Panel, Lp(a), Fasting Insulin, ApoB, Omega-3 Index, Toxic Metals Panel, CRP, and Vitamin D. Costs were calculated assuming the member has met their deductible (best-case scenario for insurance) and include copays, coinsurance percentages, lab facility fees, and the cost of a physician review to order the tests. We used publicly available plan documents, fee schedules, and lab pricing from Quest Diagnostics and Labcorp. Function Health pricing is based on the standard $499/year rate, with a discounted rate of approximately $365/year available through promo codes.

Key Findings

The data reveals several consistent patterns across all insurers and states. First, the average total out-of-pocket cost for these eight biomarker tests through insurance is $2,416 per year — representing an average savings of $2,051 per year with Function Health. Second, the variance between insurers is dramatic: the most expensive insurer averages over $3,200 per year for these tests, while even the least expensive averages over $1,400. Third, and perhaps most importantly, many of the highest-value biomarkers (Lp(a), ApoB, Omega-3 Index, Toxic Metals Panel) are either not covered at all or require specialist referrals with documented medical necessity. In practical terms, most insurance members simply cannot access these tests regardless of cost. Function Health eliminates all of these barriers with its flat-rate membership.

Common Missing Tests

Across all 14 insurers in our dataset, certain biomarker tests are consistently excluded from standard coverage. Lp(a) testing is unavailable through 11 of 14 insurers without a specialist referral and documented cardiovascular risk factors. ApoB is excluded from standard lipid panels by every insurer we surveyed, despite growing consensus among cardiologists that it is a superior predictor of cardiovascular risk compared to LDL cholesterol. The Omega-3 Index is classified as a wellness test and excluded from coverage by all 14 insurers. The Toxic Metals Panel is not covered by any insurer in our dataset under any circumstances. These are not obscure or experimental tests — they are evidence-based biomarkers that provide actionable health information. The gap between what insurance covers and what science recommends is one of the core reasons services like Function Health exist.

Average Savings by Insurer

Insurance Provider	Avg. Insurance Cost	Function Health	Avg. Savings	Comparisons
Anthem	$2,637	$365	$2,272	41
BlueCross BlueShield	$2,637	$365	$2,272	42
Centene	$2,637	$365	$2,272	41
Oscar Health	$2,637	$365	$2,272	41
Aetna	$2,370	$365	$2,005	41
Ambetter	$2,370	$365	$2,005	41
Humana	$2,370	$365	$2,005	41
Kaiser Permanente	$2,370	$365	$2,005	41
Cigna	$2,238	$365	$1,873	41
Medicare	$2,238	$365	$1,873	41
Molina Healthcare	$2,238	$365	$1,873	41
UnitedHealthcare	$2,238	$365	$1,873	42

Average Savings by State

State	Avg. Insurance Cost	Function Health	Avg. Savings	Insurers
Alaska	$2,438	$365	$2,073	2
Arkansas	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Colorado	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Connecticut	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Delaware	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Georgia	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Hawaii	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Idaho	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Indiana	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Iowa	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Kansas	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Kentucky	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Louisiana	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Maine	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Maryland	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Massachusetts	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Michigan	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Minnesota	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Mississippi	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Missouri	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Montana	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Nebraska	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Nevada	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
New Hampshire	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
New Jersey	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
New Mexico	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
North Carolina	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
North Dakota	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Ohio	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Oklahoma	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Oregon	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Pennsylvania	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Rhode Island	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
South Carolina	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
South Dakota	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Tennessee	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Utah	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Vermont	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Virginia	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
West Virginia	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Wisconsin	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12
Wyoming	$2,415	$365	$2,050	12