A clinical laboratory shall present or cause to be presented a claim, bill or demand for payment for clinical laboratory services directly to the recipient of the services, except that the claim, bill or demand for payment may be presented to any of the following:
Upon the request of the health care provider who requested the clinical laboratory services, a clinical laboratory shall notify the health care provider of the amount of the claim, bill or demand for payment that was presented to the recipient or the recipient's responsible third party pursuant to this section.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this section to the contrary, in the case of a clinical laboratory which performs services at the request of another clinical laboratory, the clinical laboratory may present the claim, bill or demand for payment to the requesting clinical laboratory.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this section to the contrary, nothing in this section shall affect a contractual agreement between a clinical laboratory and a third party payer regarding presentation of a claim, bill or demand for payment directly to that third party payer.
N.J.S. § 45:9-42.41a