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<span>Will health insurance cover the costs of genetic testing?</span>
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<h1>Will health insurance cover the costs of genetic testing?</h1>
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<section><div class="mp-content"><p>In many cases, health insurance plans will cover the costs of genetic testing when it is recommended by a person's doctor. Health insurance providers have different policies about which tests are covered, however. A person may wish to contact their insurance company before testing to ask about coverage.</p>
<p>Some people may choose not to use their insurance to pay for testing. Instead, they may opt to pay out-of-pocket for the test or pursue <a data-pid="20255" href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/dtcgenetictesting/dtctesttypes/">direct-to-consumer genetic testing</a>, if available. People considering genetic testing may want to find out more about their state's privacy protection laws before they ask their insurance company to cover the costs. (Refer to <a data-pid="20239" href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/testing/discrimination/">What is genetic discrimination?</a> for more information.)</p></div>
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<h2>For more information about insurance coverage of genetic testing:</h2>
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<p>The National Human Genome Research Institute provides information about <a href="https://www.genome.gov/about-genomics/policy-issues/Coverage-Reimbursement-of-Genetic-Tests" target="_blank">Coverage and Reimbursement of Genetic Tests</a>.<span class="desc-text"><img alt="From the National Institutes of Health" class="imgdesc" height="16" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" title="From the National Institutes of Health" width="25"/></span></p>
<p>The National Society of Genetic Counselors discusses <a href="https://www.aboutgeneticcounselors.com/Prepare-for-an-Appointment/Insurance-Billing-and-Protecting-Your-Privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">insurance, billing, and privacy protections.</a></p>
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<section><div class="mp-exp mp-content"><h2>Topics in the Genetic Testing chapter</h2>
<ul><li><a data-pid="20219" href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/testing/genetictesting/">What is genetic testing?</a></li><li><a data-pid="31121" href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/testing/types/">What are the different types of genetic tests?</a></li><li><a data-pid="20221" href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/testing/uses/">What are the uses of genetic testing?</a></li><li><a data-pid="20223" href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/testing/procedure/">How is genetic testing done?</a></li><li><a data-pid="20225" href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/testing/informedconsent/">What is informed consent?</a></li><li><a data-pid="20227" href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/testing/validtest/">How can I be sure a genetic test is valid and useful?</a></li><li><a data-pid="20229" href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/testing/interpretingresults/">What do the results of genetic tests mean?</a></li><li><a data-pid="20231" href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/testing/costresults/">What is the cost of genetic testing, and how long does it take to get the results?</a></li><li>Will health insurance cover the costs of genetic testing?</li><li><a data-pid="20235" href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/testing/benefits/">What are the benefits of genetic testing?</a></li><li><a data-pid="20237" href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/testing/riskslimitations/">What are the risks and limitations of genetic testing?</a></li><li><a data-pid="20239" href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/testing/discrimination/">What is genetic discrimination?</a></li><li><a data-pid="20241" href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/testing/genepatents/">Can genes be patented?</a></li><li><a data-pid="31501" href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/testing/differenttests/">How are genetic screening tests different from genetic diagnostic tests?</a></li><li><a data-pid="20243" href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/testing/researchtesting/">How does genetic testing in a research setting differ from clinical genetic testing?</a></li><li><a data-pid="20245" href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/testing/sequencing/">What are whole exome sequencing and whole genome sequencing?</a></li><li><a data-pid="20247" href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/testing/secondaryfindings/">What are secondary findings from genetic testing?</a></li><li><a data-pid="20249" href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/testing/nipt/">What is noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) and what disorders can it screen for?</a></li><li><a data-pid="20251" href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/testing/circulatingtumordna/">What is circulating tumor DNA and how is it used to diagnose and manage cancer?</a></li></ul>
<p><a data-pid="20081" href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/">Other chapters in Help Me Understand Genetics</a></p></div>
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