Affordable, Accessible Carrier Screening
The Norton & Elaine Sarnoff Center for Jewish Genetics’ carrier screening program provides affordable, accessible, high-quality prenatal screening services for Jewish and interfaith families in Illinois.
The Center’s convenient online, on-demand model allows most participants to complete the program from the comfort of their own home. The program costs $99 and includes pre-screening education and support, and genetic counseling services provided through a collaboration with Chicago Genetic Consultants, LLC. The cost of the test is billed to your insurance, and if you have any patient responsibility and financial need, you may request payment assistance from the Sarnoff Center for Jewish Genetics.
Ready to get started? Complete the online registration form. Or, read on for more information.
What does screening include?
The Center’s screening programs uses a pan-ethnic panel that includes ~100 conditions that are more commonly seen in people of Jewish descent and potentially 267 conditions in total (245 recessive conditions and up to 22 X-linked disorders). For more information and a complete list of conditions, click here.
How does it work?
For most participants, the process is straightforward:
- Register online and pay the $99 program fee; this fee may be waived in the case of financial hardship.
- Complete an online education course to prepare for screening; you will receive instructions about how to access the course after registering.
- Fill out and return an intake form to Chicago Genetic Consultants to register for the test itself (this will be emailed to you by Chicago Genetic Consultants).
- Chicago Genetic Consultants will contact you if they require any additional information. Once your information is complete, Chicago Genetic Consultants will place a test order with Myriad Genetics and Myriad Genetics will send you a saliva collection kit.
- Provide a saliva sample using the instructions in the kit and return it to Myriad Genetics.
- In 2-3 weeks, a genetic counselor from Chicago Genetic Consultants will call you with your test results and provide additional follow-up counseling if needed.
If you have questions or special circumstances (e.g., if you or your partner are currently pregnant), please get in touch with the Center staff at 312-357-4985 or email us at geneticscreening@juf.org.
Cost and Billing
Before the test: Program Fee
If you have private medical insurance, our program fee is $99 per person. The program fee covers pre-screening education and genetic counseling services. In the case of extreme financial hardship, you may be able to obtain a waiver for the program fee.
After the test: Insurance and Bills
If you have private medical insurance, Chicago Genetic Consultants will provide your insurance information to Myriad Genetics for insurance billing of the test. You may have a remaining balance after insurance coverage.
One of the goals of the Norton & Elaine Sarnoff Center for Jewish Genetics is to ensure that no Jewish or interfaith couples go without carrier screening due to concerns about the cost. For that reason, participants with financial need can request that the Sarnoff Center pay for the test on their behalf (which should cost no more than $249) through our Financial Assistance Program.
Note that regardless of which option you select, all participants may receive one or more “Explanation of Benefits” (EOB) notices from your insurance company. The amount shown as patient responsibility on the EOB will, in most cases, not be accurate. You may also receive a notice that an appeal has been submitted to your insurance company on your behalf. You do not need to take any action and do not be alarmed if you receive a notice that your appeal was denied.
Participants without private medical insurance can request payment assistance from the Center during the registration process.
Ready to get started? Register now.
