A genetic counselor is a healthcare professional with specialized training in medical genetics and counseling who helps individuals understand how genetic information might affect them or their families. All genetic counselors hold at least a Master’s degree in Genetic Counseling and/or Human Genetics (MS or MSc) from an accredited training program, and they must pass a national board exam to become certified genetic counselors (CGC) by the American Board of Genetic Counseling. They review medical and family history, explain genetic testing options and results, and provide emotional support so patients can make informed, personal decisions about their healthcare. 

Someone might choose to see a genetic counselor for many reasons, including:

• A family history of a known or suspected genetic condition

• Wanting to know more about risks for a current or future pregnancy

• Understanding a personal or family history of cancer

• Reviewing results from previous genetic testing (like 23andMe or tests ordered by a physician)

• Learning more about what medications, weight loss interventions, or lifestyle modifications may benefit their health and longevity

No referral is needed to be seen at Living Roots Genetics. However, we will work with your healthcare provider(s) to coordinate your care if you would like. 

** We will never share your personal medical information with anyone, including your healthcare providers, without your explicit permission **

All appointments are conducted via telehealth on a secure video conferencing platform. You can join from any quiet, secure place where you are comfortable. 

Living Roots Genetics is currently licensed to see patients who are located in the following states: 

Alaska

Arizona

Colorado

District of Columbia

Kansas

Maine

Missouri

New York

North Carolina

Oklahoma

Texas

Vermont

West Virginia

Wyoming

Living Roots Genetics is a direct patient-pay practice. This allows us to reduce administrative costs and pass the savings onto our patients. However, patients may be able to receive reimbursement from insurance for genetic counseling services by providing a detailed receipt after services are completed. Most insurance companies use the CPT code 96041 for reimbursement for genetic counseling services. 

We accept all major credit cards and HSA/FSA cards. 

Currently, Medicare and Tricare do not reimburse for genetic counseling services provided by certified genetic counselors. If the Access to Genetic Counselor Services Act (H.R. 3876/S.2323) is passed into law, this is likely to change. The bill continues to gain bipartisan support.

An initial intake appointment before testing is performed costs $215. Any testing that is performed will be an additional cost, and we will discuss payment options if it is decided that genetic testing is right for you. 

Follow-up appointments to discuss genetic testing results cost $115. All patients will have a follow-up appointment scheduled for after their results are returned, but depending on the results of your testing, you may decide whether or not to have this follow-up appointment. 

Direct-to-Consumer or other genetic testing results review appointments also cost $215 due to the time required to review these results in advance. 

We accept all major credit cards and HSA/FSA cards.

Your appointment is an opportunity for you to ask questions and to have an open conversation about risk management, family history, and how genetics may impact your health. 

During your appointment, we will: 

• Go over your family and medical history in detail

• Discuss benefits, limitations, process, and availability of genetic testing (if deemed appropriate for your unique case)

• Talk about the basics of genetics, genetic testing, and inheritance

• Empower you to make informed decisions about your health and healthcare

Gathering what you can about your family’s health history can be immensely helpful in the genetic counseling process. Information such as who in your family has had a genetic condition or cancer, at what age they were diagnosed, and at what age members of your family have passed away are all useful in creating a picture of your family’s health to better understand yours. 

If you don’t know everything (or anything) about your family’s health history, don’t worry! Even limited information can be helpful for our appointment. 

It is also helpful to prepare a list of questions you are interested in having answered, to make sure all of your concerns are addressed thoroughly during our appointment. 

Finally, if any of your family members have previously undergone genetic testing, please share those results with us through our secure email prior to your appointment.

Yes, of course! Having support during your appointment can be immensely beneficial, especially when gathering family history.

Most genetic testing can be done with a cheek swab or saliva sample kit, which will be sent to your home with a pre-paid mailing label and instructions for how to obtain your sample. For these tests, it is important that you do not eat, drink, smoke, or chew gum at least 1 hour prior to taking your cheek swab or saliva sample. 

Some tests require a blood sample; some of these samples can be taken at any lab, and some testing labs offer mobile phlebotomy services to obtain their own samples at your home.

Most test results are returned within 2-4 weeks after you send in your sample. Some tests can take longer, however, so we will discuss timelines in more detail depending on what test we determine is right for you.

Having a positive result does not automatically mean you will develop a condition, though it may mean your risk is higher. If you test positive, we will work with you to determine next steps, whether that is screening and prevention, management, or sharing information with other family members who may also be interested in being tested. We will help you understand the implications of your results, both for you and your family. You don’t have to handle the results alone.

There is a federal law in place called the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) that protects against health insurance companies increasing your prices or denying you coverage based on your genetic testing results. 

Some individuals who are considering genetic testing may choose to obtain life insurance, disability insurance, or long-term care insurance before they undergo genetic testing because GINA does not apply to these types of insurance.  GINA also does not offer protections for military health insurance, federal government insurance, or the Indian Health Services.

For more information about GINA, visit www.ginahelp.org .

At Living Roots Genetics, we take your privacy seriously. All information is stored in a HIPAA-compliant manner, and all messaging and video-conferencing platforms are secure. 

We will only discuss your personal health information with those with whom you give us explicit permission to share, including your healthcare providers.

While tests from 23andMe and other companies are easily accessible and may be fun to learn about ancestry or other information, studies show that their results are often inaccurate, and they cannot be used for medical decision-making. At Living Roots Genetics, we use clinical-grade, certified laboratory testing that can only be ordered by a genetic counselor or other healthcare professional. These results are medical-grade, meaning they can be used to guide healthcare decisions and can be trusted at a higher level than “direct-to-consumer” tests.