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What do tests for CF generally cost?
- Thread starter harvey
- Start date
kayleesgrandma
New member
I know that I wanted to have my grandson tested to see if he was a carrier, and the cf center said it would cost anywhere from $100-1400!!! The insurance paid for him to have the sweat test, but since it came back ok, they will not pay for other testing. He'll have to wait untill he gets married/or wants a child. I guess I'd better start saving!
Harvey,
You sound like such a generous man. However, I get the feeling you feel guilty for being a carrier of the CF mutation. It's easier said than done, but don't worry yourself with feeling guilty about it.
That being said, the blood tests are not all that complicated- especially if one is doing a limited panel CF test (i.e. by a local laboratory or by genzyme) and those range anywhere from $500-1500.
If you go for an extended panel test through Quest or Ambry genetics, they run anywhere from $1500-3500.
The good news is that 99.9% of insurance companies cover these tests, ESPECIALLY with a history of CF or another CF carrier in the family. Before you shell out the money for them to do this (however generous it might be), have them check with their insurance companies about coverage first.
Terri, Did you appeal the ins. companys denial? I would find some stats for them (If I were you) that not all with CF have positive sweat tests (reasons currently unknown) and ask them to cover the test.
You sound like such a generous man. However, I get the feeling you feel guilty for being a carrier of the CF mutation. It's easier said than done, but don't worry yourself with feeling guilty about it.
That being said, the blood tests are not all that complicated- especially if one is doing a limited panel CF test (i.e. by a local laboratory or by genzyme) and those range anywhere from $500-1500.
If you go for an extended panel test through Quest or Ambry genetics, they run anywhere from $1500-3500.
The good news is that 99.9% of insurance companies cover these tests, ESPECIALLY with a history of CF or another CF carrier in the family. Before you shell out the money for them to do this (however generous it might be), have them check with their insurance companies about coverage first.
Terri, Did you appeal the ins. companys denial? I would find some stats for them (If I were you) that not all with CF have positive sweat tests (reasons currently unknown) and ask them to cover the test.
Julie,<br>
<br>
I've read before that you were able to get the Ambry amplified
prior to your IVF procedure. Could you share a little bit
about how you went about getting this approved by your insurance
company? What doctor did you have order your test? Did
you have to do some appeals? Specifically, I'm interested in
how to get an insurance company to approve detailed testing for the
spouse of someone with CF.<br>
<br>
Thanks!
<br>
I've read before that you were able to get the Ambry amplified
prior to your IVF procedure. Could you share a little bit
about how you went about getting this approved by your insurance
company? What doctor did you have order your test? Did
you have to do some appeals? Specifically, I'm interested in
how to get an insurance company to approve detailed testing for the
spouse of someone with CF.<br>
<br>
Thanks!
Sure chipper,
My husbands CF doctor actually put the paperwork in for me. It worked a little different for us because even though I don't see him as a doctor, I'm in the military and he's a military doc. and it was fine for him to put the paperwork in.
However, I DID have to print all of the Info. off of Ambry's website and take it into him. Just to make his life easier and "put it in his face" so to speak. The info I printed was 1 page about their expanded/amplified test, plus some pages on the insurance and billing information.
My husbands CF doctor requested the test through my insurance Tricare, and they bucked and wanted a "standard" test first. I already had one of those, and so he wrote a note stating we were going to start trying to have a baby (he DID NOT mention the IVF) and gave the percentages of a child of ours ending up with CF if I was a carrier too. He explained that more and more rare mutations are popping up all the time and it would behoove the insurance company to cover testing so we could make an educated decision about proceeding with a pregnancy knowing how likely it was that our child would have CF.
Many insurance companies wish for a person to start with the standard test. But if I were you, I'd go for the "expanded panel" test first and see if they cover that. It's likely they'll deny it, but you can have your CF doctor (or another doctor educated in CF) write a letter about how important it is to know the carrier status, especially if someone has CF and also if the other spouse is a known carrier.
Hope that helps, feel free to ask me anymore questions.
My husbands CF doctor actually put the paperwork in for me. It worked a little different for us because even though I don't see him as a doctor, I'm in the military and he's a military doc. and it was fine for him to put the paperwork in.
However, I DID have to print all of the Info. off of Ambry's website and take it into him. Just to make his life easier and "put it in his face" so to speak. The info I printed was 1 page about their expanded/amplified test, plus some pages on the insurance and billing information.
My husbands CF doctor requested the test through my insurance Tricare, and they bucked and wanted a "standard" test first. I already had one of those, and so he wrote a note stating we were going to start trying to have a baby (he DID NOT mention the IVF) and gave the percentages of a child of ours ending up with CF if I was a carrier too. He explained that more and more rare mutations are popping up all the time and it would behoove the insurance company to cover testing so we could make an educated decision about proceeding with a pregnancy knowing how likely it was that our child would have CF.
Many insurance companies wish for a person to start with the standard test. But if I were you, I'd go for the "expanded panel" test first and see if they cover that. It's likely they'll deny it, but you can have your CF doctor (or another doctor educated in CF) write a letter about how important it is to know the carrier status, especially if someone has CF and also if the other spouse is a known carrier.
Hope that helps, feel free to ask me anymore questions.