Frequently Asked Questions
For Patients
General Information
We strongly encourage patients to contact us directly on our contact page. With feedback from our patients, we are able to identify areas that need improvement. We would also love to hear about your positive experiences as well. You can also contact us by telephone, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1-888-4-GENETIC or by email at contact@geneticscenter.com
Patients who wish to contact us in writing, can send mail to:
Genetics Center
ATTN: Senior Vice President Robert Meyer
211 S. Main St, Ste E
Orange, CA 92868
Our goal is to provide our patients with prompt replies to their concern. If you have specific questions regarding our procedures or require other assistance, please contact our office directly at 714-288-3500 and ask for Robert Meyer.
Regular clinic hours at our center in Orange are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Hours at our other locations vary, so please call us at 714-288-3500 for those hours.
We understand that there are times and/or unusual circumstances when patients are unable to keep their scheduled appointment(s). We respectfully ask that you contact us at 714-288-3500 at least twenty-four hours in advance or as soon as possible, so this time can be made available to other patients.
Our physicians must work by appointment and we cannot accommodate walk-ins or missed appointments out of order.
A sincere attempt is made to adhere to the schedule as much as possible. Occasionally, patient appointments do require longer time frames than scheduled. When this happens, your patience is appreciated. The registration staff will advise you if the physician is significantly behind schedule.
We want to ensure that you are seen quickly once you arrive and that your time with the physician is used effectively. Please arrive a few minutes early. It will be helpful if you bring to all your visits your current insurance card, photo ID, and any medical records that will be useful to the visit. If your insurance has a co-pay for an office visit, you will be required to pay that at the time of your visit.
Billing Information
If you have HMO insurance, an approved authorization is required and will need to be obtained from your insurance company prior to your visit. Due to the nature of genetics services, some other insurance types, such as PPO’s, may also require an authorization/pre-determination.
Please note, an authorization is not a guarantee of payment. Payment is contingent upon patient eligibility/coverage at the time of service, and your insurance company will adjudicate any claims according to medical necessity, regulatory, and contractual requirements at the time of processing the claim.
If you have PPO insurance, Genetics Center will verify your benefits prior to your scheduled appointment. If you have not met your deductible, we will collect the remainder of your deductible or the price of the services that are scheduled. If you have met your deductible, we collect your specialist co-pay amount. In certain circumstances, we may need to collect at the time of services for some highly specialized genetic testing that your insurance does not consider a covered benefit, or provides limited coverage for.
If you have HMO insurance with an approved authorization, Genetics Center will collect your specialist co-pay amount.
Our billing department is ready to help you. For your convenience, please contact our billing department by telephone at 714-288-3500 option 5.
Prenatal Services
Services that will be performed are dependent on the referral reason from your OB/doctor. Genetics Center offers a wide range of prenatal/pre-pregnancy services that are specific to each patient. Services will not be performed unless consent is obtained. Patients can decline services and decide what is best for their pregnancy.
It is often helpful if the spouse/significant other (father) is present at the appointment to confirm specifics of family history (ex: chromosomal abnormalities, etc.). If the patient is aware of the father’s family history, he does not need to be present.
Patients may eat and drink as normal.
The California Prenatal Screening Program has the following separate fees for participation in its program for the two different screenings: 1) $344.00 for Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) screening. 2) $85.00 for Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) screening. This State program is generally an out-of-network expense with all insurance companies, and all patients who elect this testing will receive a separate bill directly from the State of California, Genetic Screening Program. Once you receive the bill, please directly call the State at 510-412-1613 for any questions, as Genetics Center is not involved in this billing.
Yes, patients may decline services, but will need to sign a waiver form.
These are optional tests for all patients. At the end of your genetic consultation, you can decide whether or not to have these services.
Results vary based on test, but may take seven to ten business days. Results will be forwarded to your OB/doctor’s office.
Cancer Services
As noted in a JAMA Oncology publication, genetic counseling is clearly recommended by professional society guidelines and published research due to its importance in informed decision making and facilitating better patient outcomes. An increasing number of insurance companies are now making genetic counseling a requirement prior to any hereditary cancer testing. Genetic counseling assesses risk factors from medical and family histories and also helps to determine if you or your family members may benefit from genetic testing. Individuals who received genetic counseling demonstrate greater knowledge and understanding of hereditary cancer and genetic testing.
If you are indicated for testing, our staff will determine if testing can be performed on the same day or if your insurance company requires authorization or a pre-determination before testing can be started.
Pediatric Services
New patients will first meet with a genetic counselor who will obtain information such as family and personal histories. Our medical geneticist (physician) will then perform a physical evaluation. The visit will be concluded with a review of the recommendations with our genetic counselor and medical geneticist (physician).
Each individual’s case is different, but plan on the appointment taking 1-1.5 hours. Also, please arrive a few minutes early.
In many cases, we will request for an authorization or a pre-determination from your insurance company once the genetic evaluation has been completed to determine the testing your child is indicated for. A second visit may be required to obtain your specimen (blood or mouthwash) for testing.
Although this is not recommended, we ask that you send a detailed note with the individual bringing the child to the appointment, giving permission for medical care. We do ask that you to let us know ahead of time who will be bringing your child to the appointment, so it can be noted in his or her chart prior to the appointment.