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Natera test results may cost up to 9000% more than the expected price, according to consumers complaints on online forums.
On its billing guide, Natera says that average out of pocket testing expenses are less than $249 for consumers who have met their insurance deductible. In the case of high deductible plans where Natera estimates test costs over $249, the company promises to discuss cash pay options to resolve bills. The company also offers this option to patients whose insurance companies deny claims, though Natera claims to accept most regional and national healthcare plans such as Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, and UnitedHealthcare.
Unfortunately, according to customer recounts of billing experiences, Natera’s idealistic representations of testing costs is misleading.
The most recent complaint on Natera’s Better Business Bureau (BBB) profile claims that the testing company overcharged a customer by thousands of dollars. The reviewer claims they were initially quoted Natera test prices of between $150 and $200. However, after the customer received their Natera test results, the company allegedly billed their insurance for $14,792—9861% higher than the lowest quoted price.
On Yelp, countless other reviews tell the same story. Earlier this month, an Ohio reviewer posted their story after receiving Natera test results for genetic blood markers. According to the reviewer, the test ordered by his wife’s doctor was supposed to cost around $200. Instead, the couple’s insurance allegedly received a bill for $10,500—525% above the quoted price. Like reviews on the BBB website, this reviewer claims Natera uses excessive bills to “gouge unsuspecting patients” for hundreds of dollars.
Although negative Natera reviews date back years, the issue has only recently garnered public attention.
In August 2019, CBSN Dallas-Ft. Worth shared the experience of a Texas woman who claims Natera overcharged her for noninvasive prenatal testing. According to the woman, a nurse told her that the Natera test results would cost less than $200. Despite these promises, the woman’s insurance allegedly received a bill of over $4,000. As a result, the Texan says she received a bill for $611—over three times the price she was expecting.
In March 2020, The Capital Forum consulted with medical coding and billing experts who pointed to “unbundling” as a potential cause. Unbundling occurs when a healthcare provider “codes” a service as several different components instead of one, cheaper code.
“It’s kind of like the sum of the parts is greater than the whole,” Peggy Stilley of AAPC, the largest medical coding training company in the world, told The Capital Forum.
Invoices from Natera show that the company unbundles its single Horizon 274 test into up to 27 unique codes, according to The Capital Forum’s analysis.
Various states have passed laws against surprise billing. Consumers who were overcharged for Natera test results may have legal options. A lawsuit against the medical testing company could help consumers recover inflated costs they may have been pressured into paying.
63 thoughts onHow Much Do Natera Test Results Cost With Insurance?
I had blood work with my cancer doctor,Natera sent me a kit for blood draw, about 3 or 4 times.Takes more than a year for a claim to go through. A Blood draw from July 29 2022 just got rejected on November 3 2023 for $4900.00, how many more are going to get rejected maeaning I could owe $20000.00 I am retired and on a fixed income. I went on Medicare part A and B plus a anthem supplemental plan as of July 2023. My previous insurance was Anthem Blue cross Blue shield.I was covered on those service dates. why am I being denied.
I am experiencing a surprise bill that I received in the mail on 10/10/2023 for the Fetal Chromosomal Aneuploidy in the amount of $749. The lab was drawn on 8/27/2021 in which I was told would cost me only $249. I have the receipt where I paid this charge that I was billed from Natera Inc. on 11/21/2021. I’m very upset and frustrated having received this recent invoice from Natera Inc. I’m hoping that I can join any class action lawsuit that may come from this unethical practice of preying on unsuspecting patients well after the service has been rendered and paid for. My invoice date is 9/19/2023 and the due date is noted as 10/19/2023.
We initially had our claim approved but owed almost $800. Now we received a bill saying that our insurance retro actively denied and now have a bill for over $10,000. This needs to be a class action lawsuit to be doing this to expecting and new parents. What can we do. What is the correct course of action. Any help!!!
I’ve been charged $10,505 for the Natera genetic screening test. I emailed all the correspondence between my HR department and insurance over to my doctors office to hopefully have them resolve it. My provider told me that it would be less than $200 and on Natera’s website they state Anthem is an in-network insurance company and that the cost would be covered. I’m so unbelievably upset and stressed out about this.
I charged $10,000 for Natera genetic screening test which my insurance denied. Although I was told to pay not more than $200 by my doctor also the cost is covering by the insurance company for this test but this $10,000 bill has been denied by the insurance.
What possible actions should we need to take to get rid of this shit?
Natura billed my insurance $10,000 for my NIPT tests – which my insurance denied!
I was told by my insurance that Natura was a provider and all prenatal tests, exams and labs were covered. Almost a year after the test was done I receive a bill from Natura for $500 but only $250 if I pay in 30 days. It is just not fair to bill me personally when I have Insurance and they are a provider. I don’t know how to fight this bill.