Commonly Asked Questions for Patients
- HEREDITARY CANCER OVERVIEW
- RESULTS & REPORTS
- COSTS & BILLING
Should I take a hereditary cancer test?
The Empower Hereditary Cancer Test helps you understand if you have increased risk for developing cancer or why it might be common in your family. This knowledge can help you make decisions for the future such as more frequent cancer screenings or talking to your family members about their cancer risk. Your physician may adjust your cancer screening approach, which could lead to earlier detection of abnormalities. Your physician can recommend preventive treatments or procedures to reduce your chance of developing cancers.
What if I have already been diagnosed with cancer?
Hereditary cancer testing can be helpful for you to inform surgical decisions and therapeutic agents and determine if you might be at increased risk of a second primary or a secondary cancer. Genetic information may qualify patients for participation in clinical trials or research studies.
Can my family members benefit from hereditary cancer testing?
Genetic information can benefit close relatives and allow them to understand their risk for developing cancer. Family members with positive results can take steps to prevent cancer or detect it early, while those without positive results may be able to avoid unnecessary procedures.
How will I know when my results are available?
Your provider will usually call you and let you know that they have received the results. They may tell you the results over the phone or ask you to come into their office. Access your patient portal anytime through my.natera.com to track and view your results. Medical education and important information about your test can be found here.
Will Empower be covered by my insurance?
Natera is in-network with most major health plans, including Anthem, Cigna and UnitedHealthcare. Natera’s Price Transparency Program provides you with a personalized, pre-test cost estimate to understand your financial responsibility for testing. For patients without adequate insurance coverage, Natera offers programs to support access to testing.
Commonly Asked Questions for Clinicians
- ORDERING AND LOGISTICS
- SAMPLE REQUIREMENTS AND SHIPPING
- RESULTS AND REPORTING
How do I begin offering Empower in my practice?
You can contact Natera by calling 844-778-4700 or emailing support@natera.com. Our team can help to set up an account for you.
My clinical field specialist gave me Empower kits and now I would like to order more. How can I do that?
Log in to your Natera Connect account and select “Order Kits” from the main page icons or “Order Supplies” and then “Kits” from the left hand menu on your screen.
Where and how should Empower kits be stored?
Kits can be stored wherever is convenient in your practice as long as the temperature is within the range of 43-98 degrees F. Room temperature is best.
Does Natera provide assistance to patients who have positive Empower results?
Yes, a patient may schedule a genetic information session with a board-certified Natera genetic counselor at any stage of the testing process by visiting Natera’s Patient Portal or texting “SESSION” to 636363
How do I log in to the portal to see patient results?
To get started with our portal, please email support@natera.com and ask to be granted access to Natera Connect. Once you can access your Natera Connect account, search for a patient name by in the search bar at the top of the screen or see all results by clicking on “View Test Results” in the menu bar.