Billing Information
Signature Genomics offers various payment options to provide flexibility to patients, ordering institutions and physicians.
Institutional Billing
With completion of an institutional billing form (pdf), a company-assigned account number is provided. Institutional billing accounts receive a monthly statement with patient details for each analysis ordered on a monthly basis. Terms are net 30 days from the date of the invoice. An institutional billing account allows for determination of volume from a referring institution with the ease of a single payment each month.
Self-pay
Patients have the option to provide full payment at the time of sample submission. The total cost of the analysis must be included with the sample and requisition. Signature Genomics accepts checks, money orders and credit cards (MC, Visa, AMEX, and Discover) as methods of payment.
Patient Insurance Billing
For patients with insurance, Signature will bill the insurance company directly on the patient’s behalf. Through our Financial Assistance Program, the patient's authorized healthcare provider can request a Benefit Investigation prior to or at the time of sample receipt by completing Page 2 of 2: Billing Information of the Test Requisition or Prenatal Test Requisition form to determine if the test is covered by the patient’s insurance plan. Some insurers require a pre-authorization prior to processing of the patient’s specimen; the Benefit Investigation / Patient Advocacy (BIPA) team can also help facilitate this process.
At the time of sample submission, Signature Genomics requires completed Billing Information. After completion of testing, the results are released to the authorized health care provider. The BIPA team will submit a claim requesting payment from the patient’s insurance carrier.
If a claim is denied on first review, the BIPA team will appeal this denial on the patient’s behalf, with input from the patient’s authorized healthcare provider as needed. However, in cases for which all appeals are exhausted and the claim is not fully paid, the patient will ultimately be responsible for any balance remaining on the invoice. If a balance remains after we have completed the billing and appeals processes, the Financial Assistance Program team will work with the patient to determine a payment plan.
Medicaid
Signature Genomics bills many state Medicaid programs. Please inquire about your state. CPT codes for microarray analysis utilizing the SignatureChip® are provided upon request for assistance in billing state Medicaid programs.
International Samples
All international samples must be submitted with full payment unless an institutional billing account has been previously assigned.
Financial Hardship Program
Beginning in March 2007, Signature Genomics designated monies to fund a Patient Charity Budget and formed the Financial Hardship Program. The Hardship Committee meets monthly to consider all financial hardship applications that have been submitted and received in the prior month. A case is considered to be a candidate for the Financial Hardship Program if the requesting health care provider can reasonably demonstrate that a financial barrier exists for the patient/family that prevents them from pursuing testing. Signature Genomics cannot guarantee that all applications will be accepted for full or even partial coverage through the Hardship Fund.
In order to apply for consideration of hardship funding on behalf of a patient, healthcare providers can contact a genetic counselor at Signature Genomics to request an application form. This application form serves as a coversheet for the application, written on the provider’s institution letterhead, which must include the following items:
- A brief summary of their patient’s medical history
- Names/results of other family member(s) tested by Signature Genomics, when relevant to hardship request
- Previous cytogenetic testing performed on patient or relevant family members, and results of this testing
- An explanation of how the array CGH or FISH results would benefit the patient
- Samples available for testing (e.g., extracted DNA, blood samples, cultured cells, etc.)
- Explanation of patient or family’s financial barrier. (This can include monthly gross income, number of family members supported, an explanation of medical bills/ medical situation, etc.)
Please note that Financial Hardship Requests received directly from patients/families will not be considered. For further information about Signature Genomics’ Hardship Program, please call (509) 474-6840 and request to speak to a genetic counselor, or e-mail hardship@signaturegenomics.com.