Cancellation Policy:
Test orders must be cancelled before 5:00pm (central time) the next business day after the sample is received. Cancellation orders received after that time cannot be honored. Tests will be performed, charged, and reports issued. This includes tests cancelled for billing (financial responsibility) issues:

• Call Client Services 1-800-411-4363 or 713-798-6555 for cancellations or revisions.
• A Test Cancellation/Revision Form will be faxed to your institution for an authorized signature. Upon completion, please fax form to 713-798-6584.

Institutional Billing:
Referring clinics, hospitals, labs, and/or physicians may establish Institution accounts with convenient monthly invoicing and payment options (excluding international clients-see below). A completed Institution Agreement Form and Business Services Agreement must be on file in the Billing office for account approval. You may select the option to establish an institution credit card payment account. Please direct all institution billing inquiries to or call 713-798-5849.

Insurance Billing:

• A Letter or Statement of Medical Necessity from the referring MD is recommended for all genetic testing filed to insurance. ICD-9 diagnosis codes are required.
• Billing staff will perform insurance verification only when specifically requested and complete information is received including ICD9 Codes and a Statement of Medical Necessity. Verification and preauthorization are not a guarantee of payment. A completed Patient Insurance Verification Form (PIVF) must be received with legible front/back copies of the patient insurance cards.
• HMO authorizations/referrals are required. Please contact our office for assistance and approval prior to securing HMO authorization for your patient
• Patients may be fully liable for fees due to insurance benefit coverage limitations, contract exclusions, non-covered services, non-authorized services, deductibles, co-pay insurance, or balances after insurance reimbursement.
• Limited insurance filing is performed for Preimplementation Genetic Diagnosis testing. These tests must be prepaid with sample receipt. Insurance is filed as a courtesy only.
• Tests received with institutional billing instructions cannot be revised to bill insurance. Tests received without complete insurance information or required authorization cannot be billed to insurance. Testing is not initiated until complete information is received.

Letters of Agreement-Single Case Agreements-Prior Authorizations:
Billing office staff must be contacted prior to developing agreements or authorizations. These agreements or authorizations must reference specific contract language, terms, and information which our staff will provide.
Agreements or authorizations developed without this information will not be accepted. The Medical Genetics Laboratories do not accept Medicare rates on Letters of Agreement or Single Case Agreements.

Medicare: Limited genetic tests are approved to bill Medicare. An Advanced Beneficiary Notification is required for approved Medicare samples. Please contact prior to test submission.

Medicaid and Medicaid Managed Care-Texas Provider Only:
The Medical Genetics Laboratories are a Texas Medicaid provider only. We cannot bill other state welfare programs. Not all genetic tests are Medicaid reimbursable. Contact our office prior to sample submission for information on the genetic tests we are able to accept and bill to Texas Medicaid. Texas Medicaid samples are subject to prior approval (see insurance billing information).

Prenatal Biochemical and DNA Samples:
One standard fee is charged for prenatal tests performed by biochemical or DNA procedures. The comprehensive charge includes testing on the maternal, fetal, and paternal samples. Twin samples are charged two standard fees. This does not apply to prenatal diagnoses performed by the Cytogenetics Laboratory or Prenatal CMA. Please contact our genetic counselors at 1-800-411-4363 prior to prenatal sample submission.

Postnatal Chromosome Microarray Analysis:

The Medical Genetics Labs are in a billing collaboration with Athena Diagnostics for postnatal CMA. For information on fees or CPT Codes for CMA, please contact Athena Diagnostics at 800-394-4493#2.

Prenatal Chromosomal Microarray Analysis:

Billing options:

• Self-Pay Prepayment
• Institution Billing to an approved Institution Account
• Insurance Billing:
  • All conditions of standard insurance filing apply to Prenatal CMA with an additional prepayment requirement.
  • A Letter or Statement of Medical Necessity from the referring MD is recommended for Prenatal CMA tests filed to insurance.
  • Patients may be fully liable for fees due to insurance benefit coverage limitations, contract exclusions, non-covered services, non-authorized services, deductibles, co-pay insurance, or balances after insurance reimbursement.
  • Prenatal CMA is not billed to Texas Medicaid or Medicare.

Self-Pay Prepayment (see Credit Card Payment Authorization Form):
The Medical Genetic Laboratories accept checks (payable to Baylor Genetics), money orders, and credit card (AMEX/Discover/MasterCard/Visa) payment. Prepaid patient samples are eligible for a prompt payment discount (excluding the Prenatal CMA analysis). It is not permitted to file insurance on discounted fees.

Tricare (Champus): Medical Genetics Laboratories are not contracted with Tricare military insurance.

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©1998-2007 Baylor College of Medicine
Medical Genetics Laboratories
Department of Molecular and Human Genetics
Mail: One Baylor Plaza, NAB 2015
Houston, TX 77030
Phone: 1-800-411-GENE (4363) | Fax: 713-798-6584 
E-mail: