GENETIC COUNSELOR APPOINTMENT

Tuesday 11/25/08: Appointment with Genetic Counselor Shelley. Once again, lots of new information. She took a cancer health history going as far back as Judy's great grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins (& their children), siblings (& their children). Just from the preliminary history, Judy seems to have about a 10% risk of carrying the breast cancer gene. There are three reasons it is important for a woman to know if she carries the breast cancer gene: 1) for any daughter which she might bear since there is a 50% chance the gene would be passed to any daughter. 2) for her sister (s) since if a woman carries the gene there is a 50% chance that any sister will carry the gene. 3) if a woman carries the breast cancer gene she is at a much higher risk of developing breast cancer (or breast cancer in the other breast), and of developing ovarian cancer.

That said, there is only one company that does the test, and the cost of the test is $3200.00. Health insurance may or may not pay for some or all of the cost of the test depending on the insurance company, and on their assessment of whether or not they feel you are at a high enough risk of carrying the gene. Shelley said that she has no experience with Judy's health insurance as she has not heard of the company. The only way to find out if your company pays for the test, and if so, how much they will pay, is to have the blood drawn (which Judy did), and sent to the testing company. The company will contact her insurance to see how much is covered. If Judy's cost is $375 or less they will run the test, if her cost is greater than $375 they will contact her to see if she wants it run or if she wants the blood and paper work destroyed. So between now and then she has to figure out how much this information is worth and how much she is willing/able to pay for it.