Medical Oncologist
CION Cancer Clinics
Comparing two quotes for the same genetic test | CION Cancer Clinics
Two quotes with the same test name can buy quite different things. One may read more genes, include counselling or cover relatives later, while the other leaves those out. This page shows what to line up side by side, the costs that arrive after the report, and how to turn two confusing quotes into one clear decision before any money changes hands. At CION Cancer Clinics in Hyderabad, our oncologists review your family history with you and guide you to the right genetic counselling and testing.
NG
Medically reviewed by Dr. Naresh GunduConsultant Medical Oncologist · MBBS, DNB (Internal Medicine), DM (Medical Oncology, AIIMS) · last reviewed September 2026, next review due September 2027
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On this page
- Are two quotes for the same test really the same?
- What should you compare on each quote?
- How do you compare two quotes without getting lost?
- The words on a laboratory quote, in plain language
- When a cheaper quote can cost the family more
- What this page cannot tell you
- Four things families assume when comparing quotes
- Common questions about comparing genetic test quotes
The short answer
Are two quotes for the same test really the same?
Often they are not. Two labs can use the same test name and still read a different list of genes, include different extras and leave out different costs. Compare what each price buys before you compare the figures.
Why the names mislead
There is no fixed national list of what a "hereditary cancer panel" or a "BRCA test" must contain. One lab's breast panel may read two genes and another's may read many more. One may check for missing pieces of a gene while the other only reads its spelling. The name on the quote tells you the topic, not the contents.
Why the cheaper quote can cost more
A lower price sometimes means counselling is charged separately, a failed sample means a second bill, or relatives are asked to pay for a full panel later. None of that is dishonest. It simply means the quotes are not describing the same package.
The fair comparison is total cost to the family, not the first number on the page.Line them up
What should you compare on each quote?
Put these four things side by side. If a quote does not answer one of them, ask the lab in writing.
The gene list
Ask each lab for the exact genes it will read. Check that the genes your counsellor wanted appear on both lists. A longer list is not better if it adds genes nobody asked for.
The extra checks
Some faults are whole missing or extra pieces of a gene, which ordinary reading can miss. Ask whether that check is included, and whether a positive finding is confirmed by a second method.
Counselling
Find out whether a session before the test and a session to explain the result are in the price. A report with nobody to explain it leaves you paying again elsewhere.
What comes after
These costs arrive later, so they are easy to miss today.
- Price of testing relatives for the same fault
- A repeat collection if the sample fails
- Looking at your data again later
- Home or district collection charges
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistOne evening's work
How do you compare two quotes without getting lost?
Get both quotes in writing
A price said over the phone or sent as a forwarded message is hard to hold anyone to. Ask for the test name, the gene list and the inclusions on the lab's own letterhead or email.
Put the gene lists side by side
Tick the genes that appear on both. Circle any gene your counsellor named that is missing from either list. That single check settles many comparisons.
Write down what each price leaves out
Counselling, collection, repeat samples and relatives' tests. Add a rough figure for each missing item so both quotes describe the same package.
Show both to the person ordering the test
Your counsellor or oncologist can tell you in minutes whether the two tests really answer the same question. Ask them before you pay, not after.
On the quote
The words on a laboratory quote, in plain language
- Panel
- A set of genes read in one test. The panel name is chosen by the lab, so always ask for the gene list behind it.
- Add-on
- An extra check charged on top of the base price. Missing-piece analysis and extra genes are common add-ons.
- Known-fault test
- A test that looks only for the one change already found in a relative. It is far cheaper than a full panel.
- Turnaround time
- How long the lab expects to take from receiving the sample to releasing the report.
- Collection charge
- A fee for drawing the sample at home or sending it from a district. It is sometimes left off the headline price.
- Inclusive of taxes
- Whether the figure already contains GST. Two quotes that differ on this are not yet comparable.
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Side by side
When a cheaper quote can cost the family more
Looks cheaper on paper
What it can cost you later
Counselling not included
A separate fee to have the report explained
Fewer genes read
A second test if a family gene was left out
No missing-piece analysis
Some faults are not looked for at all
No reduced price for relatives
Each relative pays far more than needed
No free repeat if the sample fails
A second collection and a second bill
Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you which of your two quotes to accept. That depends on your family history, which genes your counsellor wants read and what the result will be used for. The same quote can be right for one family and wrong for another.
It cannot give you a fair price
Prices change, labs run offers and some tests are sponsored for particular cancers. A figure quoted online today may be out of date tomorrow. Ask for written quotes and compare them on the day you decide.
Who this does not apply to
Most people do not need an inherited cancer test, so they never need to compare quotes. If the quotes you hold are for testing a tumour to choose a medicine, that is a different kind of test, explained on the targeted therapy pages.
Commonly believed
Four things families assume when comparing quotes
"Same test name, so the cheaper one is the better deal."
The name does not fix the contents. Check the gene list and the inclusions first. Only then is the cheaper quote the better deal.
"The dearer quote must include more genes."
Not always. A higher price can reflect brand, a hospital fee or bundled counselling rather than more testing. Ask what the extra money buys.
"Asking for a quote in writing will offend the lab."
Written quotes are normal. A reliable lab will send the test name, gene list and inclusions without fuss. Hesitation to do so is worth noticing.
"Once we pay, relatives will be tested free."
Some labs offer reduced prices for relatives and a few run family programmes. Many do not. Ask before you pay, and get the answer in writing.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about comparing genetic test quotes
Why is one quote so much cheaper than the other?
Usually because the two quotes are not for the same package. The cheaper one may read fewer genes, skip missing-piece analysis or leave out counselling. Sometimes a lab is simply running an offer. Line up the inclusions and the difference normally explains itself.
Can I ask a lab to match another lab's price?
You can ask, and some labs will adjust. Make sure any lower price is for the same gene list and the same inclusions, confirmed in writing. A price match that quietly drops counselling or a gene is not a saving.
Is a hospital's price higher than a lab's own price?
Sometimes, because a hospital price may include consultation, counselling and sample handling. Sometimes it is similar. Ask the hospital what is included so you are comparing the whole package rather than the lab fee alone.
Does a quote include GST?
It depends on the lab and on how the service is billed. Ask each lab whether the figure is final or whether tax is added. Until both quotes answer that the same way, they cannot be fairly compared.
What should the quote say about relatives?
It should say whether relatives can be tested for the same fault at a reduced price, and whether that offer has a time limit. If a fault is found, several relatives may test, so this line can matter more than the headline figure.
Do both quotes need to test the same sample type?
For inherited testing, blood or saliva are both normally acceptable. If one quote is for tumour tissue, it is a different test answering a different question. Check with your counsellor before treating the two as alternatives.
Is a sponsored test worth taking over a paid one?
Often yes, if it reads the genes your counsellor wants and includes a clear report. Check who owns your data under the sponsored programme and who explains the result. Free testing is only good value if the answer is usable.
Can CION help me compare two quotes?
Yes. Call the helpline and read out or share both quotes. Someone will check whether they describe the same test and tell you honestly what each one leaves out. What your specific result means later is a question for the counsellor who ordered the test.
Your Specialists
Meet CION's oncologists. Bring your family history or genetic report to them.
Our medical oncologists see people with a strong family history of cancer, arrange genetic counselling and testing where it fits, and plan the checks that follow.
Medical Oncologist
Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Owais Mohammed
MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)
Medical Oncologist
Medical Oncologist
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Sources
- MedlinePlus Genetics — What is the cost of genetic testing, and how long does it take to get the results?
- MedlinePlus Genetics — How can I be sure a genetic test is valid and useful?
- National Cancer Institute — Genetic Testing for Inherited Cancer Susceptibility Syndromes
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
Keep reading
Related pages
Why panel prices vary so much between labsWhat drives the gap between two quotesWhat is included in a genetic test priceThe full list of things a price can coverDoes a cheaper test mean a worse test?When the lower quote is perfectly fineHow to choose a genetic testing laboratoryThe checks that matter more than price
Talk to us
Holding two quotes and not sure they match?
Share both quotes with us and we will check whether they describe the same test. We will tell you plainly what each one leaves out. One helpline serves every CION centre.