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September 2026

IGF-1 Blood Test: What It Costs and Why Growth-Hormone Peptide Sellers Order It

What an IGF-1 test costs against Medicare's published rate, why sermorelin sellers ask for one, and what a single result can and cannot tell you.

ByDerek MossPricing analystPublished

An IGF-1 blood test measures insulin-like growth factor 1. Medicare pays a lab $21.26 for it. That is the public benchmark. Your cash price is set by the lab.[1]

A sermorelin program may ask for one before or during treatment. The sermorelin cost guide prices the rest of the month.

$21.26

Medicare's payment rate for the test, CPT 84305 (2026 Q3)

$185

Typical month of sermorelin (137 sellers)

11%

One test as a share of a typical sermorelin month, at the Medicare rate

The sermorelin figure is computed from sellers that publish a monthly price. It was read through September 2026.

What the fee schedule figure is

CMS publishes a payment rate for each lab code. The IGF-1 code is 84305, “assay of somatomedin[1]. Its national rate is $21.26[1].

That is what Medicare pays the lab. It is not a quote. A cash lab, a clinic draw or a seller bundle can charge more. Some add a draw fee or an order fee.

No consumer lab price is printed here, because cash prices vary by lab and by draw site. Ask the seller for its figure in dollars.

Why growth-hormone sellers order it

Growth hormone is released in pulses. So a single blood level of it says little[3]. IGF-1 is the steadier marker of growth hormone activity[3].

In growth hormone treatment, IGF-1 is used to check and adjust the dose[3]. Sermorelin’s old brand, GEREF, was approved to test the pituitary’s ability to secrete growth hormone[6]. So a growth hormone marker is the natural thing to measure.

Retest at the same lab

IGF-1 assays differ. An international consensus called for major improvements in assay performance and comparability[4]. It also set rules for age-based normal ranges[4].

So a change between two labs may be the assay, not you. A before-and-after pair means more from one lab.

Who pays for the test

Lab fees that are part of medical care are a medical expense under IRS rules[5]. That can let an HSA or FSA pay. The HSA guide covers the purpose test.

Insurance for the drug itself is a separate question. It is answered in does insurance cover sermorelin.

Four questions before paying

  • Is the test included in the monthly price, or billed separately?
  • Does the price include the draw, or only the lab analysis?
  • How often does the program repeat it?
  • Can a recent result from your own doctor be used instead?

How a prescription gets written is in sermorelin prescription. The full list of fees beside the price is in the peptide therapy cost guide.

FAQ

3 questions

How much does an IGF-1 blood test cost?

Medicare's payment rate for the test (CPT 84305) is $21.26 in the 2026 Q3 CMS fee schedule. That is what Medicare pays a lab, not a cash price; a cash lab or a seller's bundle sets its own figure, sometimes with a draw fee.

Why do sermorelin sellers order an IGF-1 test?

Growth hormone is released in pulses, so a single level says little, while IGF-1 is the steadier marker of growth hormone activity and is used to check and adjust dosing in growth hormone treatment.

Can an IGF-1 test diagnose growth hormone deficiency?

Not on its own. The Endocrine Society's adult guideline says confirmation usually needs a stimulation test, unless there is a proven genetic or structural cause from childhood.

Sources

6 cited
  1. [1]Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (2026). Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule, 2026 Q3 public-use file (26CLABQ3) Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Source
  2. [2]Molitch ME, Clemmons DR, Malozowski S, Merriam GR, Vance ML, Endocrine Society (2011). Evaluation and treatment of adult growth hormone deficiency: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. PMID 21602453
  3. [3]Pawlikowska-Haddal A, Cohen P, Cook DM (2012). How useful are serum IGF-I measurements for managing GH replacement therapy in adults and children? Pituitary. PMID 21909971
  4. [4]Clemmons DR (2011). Consensus statement on the standardization and evaluation of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor assays Clinical Chemistry. PMID 21285256
  5. [5]Internal Revenue Service (2025). Publication 502: Medical and Dental Expenses (for use in preparing 2025 returns) IRS. Source
  6. [6]Food and Drug Administration (2013). Determination That GEREF (Sermorelin Acetate) Injection, 0.5 Milligrams Base/Vial and 1.0 Milligrams Base/Vial, and GEREF (Sermorelin Acetate) Injection, 0.05 Milligrams Base/Amp, Were Not Withdrawn From Sale for Reasons of Safety or Effectiveness (78 FR 14095) Federal Register. Source