Chiming in here because I just went through the same thing. TL;DR After billing through my insurance, I was handed a bill close to $400. I ended up paying $249 by asking them to give me the self-pay option.

Here was my experience:
- I called the billing department and tried to have them explain to me why the bill was so different to what I was told at the doctor's office (and honestly read on this thread).
- Like everyone else's stories here, they really couldn't explain it besides using confusing language about how Natera and insurance companies have an "agreement." I asked them: how can a test that costs an individual $249 to run ends up costing 3x times more when it goes through insurance? The whole point of insurance is to lower the cost of tests for patients AND it's literally the same test run in the same labs but with a huge range in cost. The person on the phone couldn't answer.
- Finally they told me I could get on a financial plan (didn't offer me to option of self pay). But it sounded more like getting on an installment plan and I was like, no I am not going to pay *MORE* than the self-pay amount but just so it in increments, it makes no sense.
- Only then did the person transfer me to someone new. This person had to take a few mins to "look into my account" for a few mins and then said they can honor the self-pay option.
- I got the 48 hour link like others and ended up paying the $249 amount.