Exhibit 10.27

                     AMENDMENT TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT


     THIS AMENDMENT ("Amendment"), made and entered into this 31st day of 
December, 1994, by and between LabOne, Inc. ("LabOne") and BERT H. HOOD 
("Officer");

     WITNESSETH:

     WHEREAS, LabOne and Officer are parties to an Employment Agreement, dated 
August 5, 1993, as amended November 9, 1993 (the "Agreement"); and

     WHEREAS, the parties desire to further amend the Agreement;

     NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises herein contained, 
the sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as 
follows:

1.   Subsection (iv) of the third sentence of Section 9.1(d) of the 
Agreement is hereby amended by deleting said Subsection (iv) as the same now 
appears and substituting therefor the following:

          "... (iv) HORL's (now LabOne's) earnings from operations (excluding
          investment income and provision for income taxes) determined in
          accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (excluding
          extraordinary, unusual or non-recurring gains or losses), shall be
          less than $9,200,000 for any fiscal year, or such higher amount as
          the parties may agree to in writing."

     2.  This Amendment shall become effective upon approval of the Amendment 
by LabOne's Board of Directors.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amendment as of the day
and year first above written.

                              LABONE, INC.

                              By:_______________________________
                                 Gregg R. Sadler,
                                 Executive Vice President
                                 COMPANY


                                 _______________________________
                                 BERT H. HOOD
                                 OFFICER