Fees

Functional Tumor Cell Profiling fees are determined by the number of drugs tested.  Drug selection is determined by your doctor’s requests, what is appropriate to your clinical situation in terms of the number and types of individual tests we perform for you, and the size and condition of the biopsy specimen which we receive from your physician.  Fees for functional tumor cell profiling services can range from $3,500 to more than $5,000 in some cases.  We will send you a written estimate of fees for your tests as soon as we receive your biopsy specimen so that you will have the opportunity, in advance, to accept or decline our functional tumor cell profiling testing services.

Medical Insurance Coverage

Insurance coverage for Functional Tumor Cell Profiling varies depending upon the reimbursement policies of your insurance carrier and the provisions of your specific insurance policy.  It is possible that your insurance will cover most or all of your testing costs, excluding normal co-payments and deductible amounts.  However, many insurance carriers pay for only a portion of the costs and some carriers may deny claims completely.

Effective July 1, 2008, Weisenthal Cancer Group elected voluntarily to opt-out as a Medicare participant owing to excessive delays in receiving payments and also due to Medicare's erratic coverage patterns, despite the fact that an exhaustive technology review by Medicare resulted in what was supposed to have been routine coverage for Medicare beneficiaries for functional tumor cell profiling beginning in February of 2007.  We regret that Medicare's slow and inconsistent payment policies along with its lack of responsiveness to our inquiries necessitated this action on our part. This does NOT mean that we do not perform testing for Medicare beneficiaries.  We offer our testing services equally to all patients.  However, it means that Medicare beneficiaries assume financial responsibility for their testing services in the same manner as non-Medicare beneficiaries.  

If your physician sends us a biopsy specimen we will notify you by priority mail that your functional tumor cell profiling tests have been initiated.  We will advise you of the probable costs of your tests and offer you the opportunity to decline the testing services and thereby avoid testing costs.  If you elect to receive our services you will receive a bill from us after we have completed your testing and have reported your test results to your physician.