Genetic testing ranges from under $100 for a basic ancestry kit to several thousand dollars for comprehensive clinical sequencing. The price depends entirely on what kind of test you’re getting, who ordered it, and whether insurance covers any of the cost. Here’s what to expect across the most common types.
Direct-to-Consumer Kits
At-home DNA kits are the most affordable entry point. 23andMe currently sells a basic ancestry test for $79, an ancestry-plus-health package for $199 (often on sale for around $80), and a premium tier at $399 that includes ongoing health reports with an annual membership renewal. Other companies like AncestryDNA price similarly, with most kits falling between $79 and $200.
These tests are almost never covered by insurance. Because you’re ordering them yourself rather than through a doctor, insurers don’t consider them diagnostic. You’ll pay the full retail price out of pocket.
Prenatal Screening
Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), which screens for chromosomal conditions like Down syndrome using a blood draw from the mother, has a list price between $1,100 and $1,590. Self-pay options from major labs bring that down to roughly $299 to $349 if you bypass insurance and pay directly.
Coverage varies significantly based on your risk category. Many private insurers still follow older guidelines that only cover NIPT for high-risk pregnancies, meaning women under 35 with no risk factors often face the full cost through deductibles, co-pays, or outright denial. If your provider recommends NIPT, ask the lab for a self-pay quote before running it through insurance. The cash price is sometimes lower than what you’d owe after your plan processes the claim.
Hereditary Cancer Panels
Testing for mutations in cancer-risk genes like BRCA1 and BRCA2 once cost thousands of dollars when a single company held the patent. That changed in 2013, and self-pay prices now start around $250, though they vary by laboratory and the number of genes included in the panel. Multi-gene panels that screen for a broader set of hereditary cancer syndromes cost more, but rarely exceed $500 at the self-pay rate.
Insurance coverage for cancer genetic testing is more common than for other types, particularly if you have a strong family history or a personal diagnosis that meets specific clinical criteria. Many insurers will cover it fully or with a modest co-pay when a doctor documents medical necessity.
Pharmacogenomic Testing
Pharmacogenomic tests analyze how your body metabolizes medications, helping doctors choose drugs and doses that are more likely to work and less likely to cause side effects. This is especially common before prescribing certain antidepressants, blood thinners, and pain medications. Single-gene tests run approximately $200 to $400, while multi-gene panels can reach $400 to $800.
Coverage is inconsistent. Some insurers cover pharmacogenomic testing for specific medications where the evidence is strong, while others treat it as experimental. If your doctor is recommending a test like GeneSight or similar panels, check with both your insurer and the lab about out-of-pocket costs before proceeding.
Whole Genome and Whole Exome Sequencing
The most comprehensive option is whole genome sequencing, which reads nearly all of your DNA rather than targeting specific genes. Clinical-grade whole genome sequencing typically costs $300 to $600 for the raw sequencing alone, but the total bill climbs significantly once you add interpretation, reporting, and clinical consultation. Patients can expect to pay anywhere from $1,000 to several thousand dollars for a fully interpreted clinical result. Whole exome sequencing, which covers only the protein-coding regions (about 1 to 2 percent of the genome but where most known disease-causing mutations sit), generally falls in a similar range.
These tests are most commonly ordered for patients with undiagnosed conditions after other testing has come back negative. Insurance may cover them in that context, but approval often requires documentation of prior testing and a clear clinical rationale.
What Insurance Typically Covers
The general rule: insurance covers genetic testing when a doctor orders it and documents a medical reason. That includes diagnostic testing for someone who already has symptoms, carrier screening in certain high-risk populations, and targeted panels when family history or a diagnosis justifies them.
Medicare follows a stricter standard. It generally does not cover screening in people without symptoms, carrier screening, prenatal diagnostic testing, or tests meant to assess future risk in otherwise healthy patients. The test must be “reasonable and necessary” for managing a current condition, ordered by a provider with an established patient relationship, and supported by clinical evidence.
Private insurers vary widely. Even when a test is covered in principle, you may still owe a co-pay, co-insurance, or a significant chunk of your deductible. Always ask for a cost estimate before the test is run. Most labs can provide one if you give them your insurance details in advance.
Financial Assistance Programs
If cost is a barrier, several major labs offer financial assistance. Myriad Genetics, one of the largest genetic testing companies, provides a sliding-scale program based on household income. For households in the contiguous U.S. earning under $54,640, qualifying tests may be available at no cost. Households earning under $81,960 may pay $100, and those under $109,280 may pay $200 to $249 depending on the test. Myriad also offers interest-free payment plans starting at $15 per month.
These programs typically require that you meet medical criteria for the test and aren’t enrolled in federally funded insurance like Medicare or Medicaid (with some state-specific exceptions). Other labs, including Invitae and Ambry Genetics, have similar assistance programs worth exploring if you’re uninsured or underinsured.
Legal Protections for Your Results
A common concern about genetic testing is whether results could be used against you by insurers or employers. The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) provides significant protection. Under GINA, group health plans cannot use genetic information, including family medical history, to set premiums, determine eligibility, or make enrollment decisions. Employers with 15 or more employees are also prohibited from using genetic information in hiring, firing, or promotion decisions.
GINA has limits, though. It does not apply to life insurance, disability insurance, or long-term care insurance. Companies selling those products can legally ask about genetic test results and use them in underwriting. If you’re considering purchasing any of those policies, you may want to do so before undergoing elective genetic testing.
Genetic Counseling Fees
The lab fee is only part of the cost. If your testing involves a genetic counselor, which is standard for clinical tests related to cancer risk, prenatal conditions, or inherited diseases, you’ll also pay for the consultation. A genetic counseling session typically runs $150 to $300, though many insurance plans cover it when it’s tied to a medically necessary test. The counseling portion usually represents a small fraction of the total bill compared to the lab work itself.
Some labs and telehealth platforms now bundle counseling into the testing price, which can simplify billing. If you’re navigating this without insurance, ask the lab whether their quoted price includes interpretation and counseling or just the sequencing.