Genetic testing is complicated, and it can cost a lot. Some tests cost more than others, but the final bill can be thousands of dollars. Be sure you have an idea of how much it may cost you before you have testing done.
If you have health insurance, you must decide if you’re going to ask your insurance company to pay for testing. For the most part, state and federal laws do not require insurance companies to pay for predictive testing. Some companies may cover the testing, while others may not.
There are no laws saying insurance companies must cover genetic testing, but the 2008 federal law called the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act or GINA does not allow insurers to deny coverage or charge higher premiums based on genetic test results. (See “National law prohibits discrimination by employers and health insurers” in the “What are the drawbacks of genetic testing” section.) Some states also have laws about this, but they are all different. A few states have stronger laws than GINA.
How the results might be used by others, such as employers, is another concern many people have about genetic testing. The 2008 GINA law bars employers with more than 15 employees from using genetic information to discriminate against employees or job applicants. A 2000 executive order protects federal employees (US government workers) from discrimination based on genetics.
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