Welcome, Aaron, and thanks so much for joining us today. To get started, tell us a little about yourself and what inspired you to start your self-directed lab company.
Thank you so much. I was drawn to Any Lab Test Now both personally and professionally. On the personal side, a couple of years ago my family and I were dealing with some fertility challenges, and throughout that journey I started to need some specialty lab draws. I had a difficult time getting what I needed — I was working with multiple doctors across different specialties, some even out of state, and I really felt like I was quarterbacking my own care. That's not a unique story. Late in the process, I found direct-to-patient lab testing, and I realized how helpful it was and how many other people it could help if they knew about it.
Professionally, I'd been in corporate America doing software development and business optimization for many years, and I was ready to work for myself and grow something I'm passionate about. So when I found this Any Lab Test Now opportunity, I jumped on it. We now own two locations here in Kansas City.
How Direct-to-Consumer Lab Testing Works
For those who aren't familiar, how would you explain the process?
Let's start with the traditional model and then talk about how we're different. Traditionally, if someone needs a certain test, they need a doctor's order, and to get that order they often need a doctor's appointment — which can take months. They get the lab order, get their blood drawn, and the results go back to the physician. Insurance is usually somewhere in the middle of that, which is great, but it may not be available or optimal, approval isn't guaranteed, and the pricing is often unclear. There are a lot of question marks in that process.
With Any Lab Test Now — the direct-to-consumer model — you don't need a doctor's order and you don't need insurance. You walk into one of our locations, get any test you want performed, pay a transparent price one time with no surprises after the fact, and the results come to you as soon as they're available. It really helps people take charge of their own care.
That's a great service, especially because it takes so long to get in with providers these days. This gives patients the latitude to get the ball rolling so they have more information by the time their appointment comes up.
Who Uses the Service
What kinds of patients are you typically seeing?
We see all kinds. On the clinical side, we see people who've run into roadblocks with insurance or with providers they can't get in to see, people with high deductibles, and people who have insurance but find our prices are cheaper or just as competitive as paying with insurance. And we see a lot of proactive people — someone will say, "I've got an appointment with my doctor two months from now; when should I come in for labs?" That way, when they have that appointment, it's a really productive conversation, because they already have their labs to discuss and can get on a treatment plan already armed with that information.
Are there popular labs or trends you're seeing right now?
We definitely see a lot of the basic health-marker labs — CBC, CMP, metabolic panels, lipid panels — along with a lot of hormone levels and biomarkers. It's also back-to-school season, so we see a lot of titers that kids need for school or that people need for clinical programs at work, annual checkup panels, and micronutrient assays. That's really just the clinical piece of the pie. We're also seeing a decent uptick in food-sensitivity and allergy testing, which is interesting — there's a lot of interest in personalized diet and how your body responds to various foods or environmental influences. The menu grows further from there: we do drug testing for corporate hiring and legal situations, DNA testing for family relationships, STD testing, and nutritional injections like B12. We can even do cultures with some advance notice.
Accuracy and Turnaround
For someone hesitant about getting labs drawn on their own, what about accuracy — does it match traditional labs like Quest or LabCorp?
Absolutely — in fact, we partner with a lot of those same labs. We work only with accredited, best-in-class clinical, specialty, and reference labs. So you'll see similar reference ranges, and results are pretty quick — roughly 24 to 72 hours on turnaround times. Some are longer because of the complexity of the test, but that's the average.
Partnering With Providers
For healthcare providers working outside of insurance, like ourselves, how can they partner with you to support patient education and empowerment?
We're a direct-to-consumer model, but the other half of that coin is that we love working with providers, especially outside the traditional insurance model. We can customize various panels to support your personalized programs and personalized medicine, and that's really where we shine. We've talked with Revelation Health about how we can support you in getting the information you need about your patients and the levels you're monitoring over the course of treatment. We're happy to be flexible and support providers as much as we can.
That's great for all providers — even those who work within insurance often feel their hands are tied ordering labs they know won't be approved. Knowing there are cost-effective avenues out there is a great service.
Packages and Transparent Pricing
Do you have testing packages for someone who wants to check their metabolic profile or hormones but doesn't know exactly which markers to order?
Absolutely. We offer something like 8,000 tests, which can be daunting for the typical consumer who didn't go to medical school. So we have grouped panels already put together to help people focus on a particular area or do a deep dive into part of their health. We also have a "build your own panel" promotion — if you know you want a couple of markers but aren't sure about the others, we can help fill in the gaps. I believe it's three tests for $89.
I love the transparency — it's so nice to know the exact amount you'll pay.
That's a big part of it. When it comes to your health, you often feel like you *have* to do a procedure or a test because it's your life and your health — and then months later you get the insurance bill or a denied claim, and it drags out. This is all above board; you know what you're getting from the very outset.
Locations and Getting Started
What are some of the locations patients can visit?
Any Lab Test Now is a franchise model — there are something like 260 locations across the U.S. Here in the Kansas City metro, we have two: the Overland Park location around 119th and Metcalf, and our Independence location right there near Costco. Nice, convenient locations with good hours.
Can people see pricing online?
Absolutely. Our website has a ton of information and specifics about each test — for example, whether you need to fast for a given test. You can book your appointment, pay for the test, and fill out your paperwork all online before you get there. A lot of times people are in and out within 10 or 15 minutes. Walk-ins are always welcome too — you can book online or over the phone, or just come in.
Is there anything else we should know about your service?
I just appreciate the opportunity to chat with you and your listeners. Come in and see us — it's all about convenience. When it's easier to get something done, it's a lot easier to manage.
We'll link all your information in the show notes so people can find you, and we appreciate you taking the time. Have a healthy day.