Frequently Asked Questions

Madison Core Laboratories (MCL) is a CLIA-certified laboratory that offers testing services to physicians, clinics, and other laboratories throughout the United States. State-of-the-art technologies allow us to provide fast, accurate analyses to clinicians and their patients. Your provider has chosen MCL to provide diagnostic testing services to assist them in your treatment plan. MCL will perform the test(s) as ordered by your provider.

Madison Core Laboratories has convenient Patient Service Centers located in Huntsville and Gadsden for physician-ordered testing. No appointment is needed.

Learn more here.

MCL performs the test(s) ordered by your medical provider. Please contact your medical provider to determine why a particular test was requested.

MCL recommends you contact your medical provider for results and to discuss what your results mean. MCL staff cannot provide results without a completed medical record request form. At no time will MCL provide an interpretation of what your results may mean.

Uninsured patients or patients who chose not to file an insurance claim will be billed directly for the cost of the services performed.

Contact MCL’s billing department to discuss our Financial Assistance Program.

Madison Core Laboratories accepts and files all medical insurance plans. It is recommended you check with your insurance provider prior to testing to confirm coverage and your plan’s benefits.

After your test(s) are performed and results are reported to your provider, MCL will bill for all services performed based on the billing information provided on your lab order.

Uninsured patients or patients who chose not to file an insurance claim will be billed directly for the cost of the services performed.

For insured patients, MCL will bill the insurance plan(s) on file. If a balance is due after your claim is processed, a statement will be issued to you by MCL for any cost-share applied by your plan (this includes copayments, coinsurances, deductible, non-covered services, etc.).

MCL recommends patients contact their insurance plan directly to determine coverage and plan benefits. MCL can only explain how our claim was processed by your plan but not what your benefits include.

MCL will file your primary insurance first. Once processed, a claim will be submitted to your secondary insurance, then tertiary insurance, etc. Any patient responsibility remaining after all insurance claims have been processed will be billed to you.

Sometimes, if you have more than one insurance policy, your claim may be denied for a coordination of benefits (COB). This means your insurance plan is not sure if it is primary or secondary. In this case, you will receive a notice from MCL and possibly your insurance plan that your COB needs to be updated. This can only be updated by you and MCL cannot update it for you. Please contact all insurance plans to update your COB if you receive this notice.

Insured patients will likely receive an explanation of benefits (EOB) from their carrier once a claim has been processed (either paid or denied). An EOB may be called another name depending on your carrier but will essentially include the same information regarding the claim filed and total charges, adjustments, and payments and any potential cost to the patient (you).

An EOB is not a statement and payment should not be made unless you have received a statement from Madison Core Laboratories.

Payments made to your healthcare provider are only for the services they perform such as an office visit or exam. This does not include the lab work performed by MCL.

If you have more than one test performed, it may be billed as separate claims to your insurance plan depending on the type of test. Additionally, insurance may sometimes split a claim for payment. As a result, you may receive more than one bill for the same date of service, but this is not a duplicate bill.

It is recommended that you contact your insurance carrier to discuss your plan benefits such as copay, coinsurance, deductible, etc. Some plans may have in or out of network deductibles or out-of-pocket amounts that need to be met before insurance pays a claim.

Statements are released roughly every 30 days until the balance is paid, or three statements cycles have been completed. After three statement cycles, delinquent accounts may be referred to a collection agency.

Payment plans are available and once set up, your account will remain active until the balance is satisfied.

Call (256) 850-0075 option 2 or toll free at (877) 755-0140
Email [email protected]
Ensure that your account number, name, and date of birth are included with your communication.

In the event your insurance plan issues payment directly to you, please follow one of the options below as you will receive a bill from MCL for the amount paid to you.

• Deposit the check and mail a personal check to MCL.
• Deposit the check and contact MCL to pay via credit/debit card.
• Endorse the back of the insurance check and mail it to MCL.

Madison Core Laboratories billing department is available to answer any questions you may have about how your MCL claim was processed, however specific questions related to your plan coverage and benefits should be directed to your insurance carrier directly.

Procedure codes are based on the test ordered by your medical provider. These cannot be changed.

Diagnosis codes are supplied by your medical provider with your lab order, and these are the codes MCL will use for your claim. If these were provided in error by your doctor, please contact their office directly.

Payments can be submitted via check or credit/debit card using one of the methods. Billing & Insurance

Monday through Friday 8:00am-4:30pm CST
Closed on the following holidays:

• New Years Day
• Memorial Day
• July 4th
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Day