How Much Does the Sequenom MaterniT21® Test Cost?


Written by:  Howmuchisit.org Staff

The MaterniT® 21 PLUS laboratory-developed test, as the company puts it, will be able to tell you if you’re having either a boy or girl and also screens for trisomy 21 (Down syndrome), trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome), trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome) and many other conditions.

Pipettes & test Tubes by Goldmund100, on Flickr
Pipettes & test Tubes” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Goldmund100

How much does the Sequenom MaterniT21® test cost?

On average, the cost of the Sequenom MaterniT21® test will greatly depend on the lab you use, your doctor and your private insurance provider if you have one.  From what we researched from the hundreds of people who did share their costs online, they had paid anywhere from $130 to $250 without insurance.

KHN notes the list price is $1,900 but women with insurance will pay $235 out of pocket.

To get an exact cost before you even consider the test, see if you can get a test CPT code from the doctor’s office and call your insurance company with this information.  Do keep in mind that if you do go this route, many insurance companies will not be able to provide a quote, but many did have luck receiving a quote directly from Sequenom.  You can even receive an estimate directly from the lab as well by following this link.  In most cases, you may find it will be cheaper to pay out of pocket with cash rather than using your insurance carrier.

According to members on this WhatToExpect.com forum thread, one member claimed to call the lab and they stated they would charge $140 if insurance doesn’t cover the test.  Most of the people agreed with the price, stating they received a higher-than-average bill/statement and the company was willing to reduce the costs by less than $250 with very little haggling.

On another forum thread at BabyCenter.com, another member stated she talked with the lab and was basically told the same thing as the WhatToExpect.com forum members.  If she didn’t have insurance, the costs would be about $250, but if the insurance did cover it, it could be as high as $1,000.

At Reddit.com, one member said she was under 35 years old and was quoted $140 if she didn’t use her insurance.  Another member said if she denied her insurance claim, then she would only be responsible for the $200 flat fee.

What is the MaterniT21® test?

The MaterniT21® test is a prenatal screening blood test which is designed to detect increased amounts of material found from chromosome 21 (Down syndrome), chromosome 13 (trisomy 13) and chromosome 18 (trisomy 18).  It will only require a blood sample after 10 weeks of gestation and is recommended for a mother who meets one of the following:  either older than 35, has a family history or chromosomal defects, had abnormal prenatal ultrasound findings and/or an increased risk due to the screening results.  This screen usually won’t available for low-risk patients and it will not replace the traditional first-trimester screening.  Instead, it is designed to be used in conjunction with a screening and other screenings to determine if a patient could benefit from an invasive diagnosis in the future such as a chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis.

The benefits of this screening, as per Keith Lescale, M.D.,  F.A.C.O.G., says it has a 99.1% detection for Down syndrome, 99.9% detection for trisomy 18 and 91.7% detection for trisomy 13.

The results, on average can take up to 10 days to process.

The procedure

This is a non-invasive test, often performed at either a third-party lab or inside your doctor’s office.  Before the procedure begins, you will be asked to sign a consent form so that you understand your risks.  Then, a small amount of blood will be drawn from the arm and placed in a special tube to preserve the blood.  This test will be no different than having a blood draw for any other blood test.

Tips to know

If you do decide to use your insurance, there were many reports online where people did receive a bill for much more than their initial estimate.  If this is the case, people recommend calling the lab directly for more information on ways to lower your costs.  In most cases, the lab will recommend you deny your insurance claim and pay out of pocket.  From most of the prices we did see online, if you’re spending more than $250 and you haven’t talked with the lab, then we highly recommend you do so in order to save money.

Even if you want to use your insurance company, many will have strict guidelines as to who they will cover.  In most cases, they will only cover those who are either older than 35, at high risk and/or have a family/personal history of chromosomal defects.

Mark at DownSyndromePrenatalTesting.com talked about why none of these newer blood tests will provide a definite answer, no matter how the results are reported.

The MaterniT21® test can also detect the gender, but most often wonder about the accuracy rate.  Reviewing a few forum threads and scientific journals, it appears to have an accuracy rate between 95 to 98%, all depending on the techniques employed and when the test was performed.

How to save money

The company does offer a variety of payment options and a Patient Assistance Program for those who qualify.  They also offer interest-free payments plans.


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