BRCA is a gene known to be associated with a high risk of breast cancer. For my blogs on BRCA, click here, but know your lifetime chance of getting breast cancer is very high.
BRCA is high in certain ethnic groups, particularly
- Ashkenazi Jewish (Eastern European) women. Risk of being a carriers is estimated at 7-10%. Your insurance may cover your testing if you have
- Any first-degree relative with breast or ovarian cancer. (parent, sister, child)
- Two second-degree relatives on the same side of the family with breast or ovarian cancer.(aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, and grandparents)
- If you are not of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, you may want to get tested for BRCA if you have:
- Two first degree relatives with breast cancer, one of whom was diagnosed before age 50
- Three or more first- or second-degree relatives with breast cancer, diagnosed at any age
- Both breast and ovarian cancer in the family
- A first-degree relative with cancer in both breasts
- Two or more relatives with ovarian cancer
- One relative with both breast and ovarian cancer
- A male relative with breast cancer
Know though that even women at risk may not meet the “insurance criteria” to get tested, and the test itself is not cheap. So what do you do if you want to get tested and don’t meet criteria? You can pay for the test with or without insurance. Another method would be to do your own genetic testing. Groups like 23 and me do genetic testing. The cost is about $200 ($99 for the kit and then a monthly fee of $9/mo for a year). They test for 3 specific parts of the BRCA genes. To get more information please go to their website. Please note: BE PREPARED TO KNOW YOUR RESULT. This is not something I recommend to do without the advice and counseling of a genetic counselor or doctor. Knowing you are BRCA positive will definitely have an effect on you, your family, what you choose to do, and possibly your insurance.
As for how it may affect insurance, please see GINA synopsis as summarized by 23 and me.
“The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, or GINA, is U.S. federal legislation with bipartisan support that protects Americans from discrimination (in health insurance and employment decisions) on the basis of genetic information. GINA has passed through Congress and was signed into law by the President on May 21, 2008. As a result, American insurance companies and health plans (including both group and individual insurers, as well as federally-regulated plans) will be prohibited from:
- looking at your predictive genetic information or genetic services before you enroll;
- “requesting or requiring” that you or your family members take a genetic test;
- restricting enrollment based on genetic information;
- changing your premiums based on genetic information.
GINA also prohibits U.S. employers (including employment agencies, labor organizations, and training programs) from:
- discriminating against who they hire or how much they pay on the basis of genetic information;
- “requesting or requiring” that you or your family members take a genetic test;
- disclosing your genetic information in their possession except under specific and specially controlled circumstances.
GINA does not cover life or disability insurance providers.”