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3.6 Managing Lab Fees
Lab fees are charges for services provided by a lab for making prostheses (e.g.,
dentures, crowns, bridges) or appliances (e.g., space maintainers, processed
night guards). The impact of lab fees on the clinic’s financial sustainability
depends on the extent to which prosthetic services are provided and the degree
to which the fees are reimbursed.
Tip
Some clinics find it useful to separate lab fees from the total
cost of a service. If patients pay lab fees separately, before
the request for service is sent to the lab, the clinic is assured
of payment in full for the lab fees.
A useful resource is the Nonprofit
Warehouse, which
reduces lab fees by bringing nonprofit manufacturers and selected
low-cost suppliers together with nonprofit organizations in a common
place for the mutual benefit of the people they serve. These manufacturers
and suppliers sell only to government agencies, nonprofit organizations,
religious outreach ministries, and selected health professionals
who work with certain population groups.
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