Will health insurance cover the costs of genetic testing?

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.

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 direct-to-consumer genetic testing, 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 What is genetic discrimination? for more information.)