Medical Oncologist
CION Cancer Clinics
Is genetic counselling charged separately from the test? | CION Cancer Clinics
Sometimes it is, and sometimes it is folded into the test price or your oncologist's consultation. It depends on who arranges the test and who does the counselling. This page explains the usual ways counselling is billed in India, what you should get for the fee, and the questions to ask before the sample is taken, so the final bill holds no surprises. 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
17+specialists on panel
15,000+patients treated
35+centres across Telangana & AP
4.8★ / 800+Google rating
On this page
- Do you pay for genetic counselling on top of the test?
- How is genetic counselling usually billed?
- At which points might you pay for counselling?
- What do the words on a counselling quote mean?
- Separate fee or bundled: what is the difference?
- What this page cannot tell you
- Four things families assume about counselling fees
- Common questions about counselling fees
The short answer
Do you pay for genetic counselling on top of the test?
Often, yes, but not always. There are three common arrangements. The counselling may be billed as its own consultation, it may be included in the laboratory's test price, or it may be part of your oncologist's usual visit. Ask which one applies before the sample is taken.
Why counselling is a separate step at all
A genetic test is not like a blood count. The result can affect brothers, sisters and children, and it can raise questions about marriage, insurance and preventive care. Counselling before the test makes sure you know what you are agreeing to. Counselling after the test makes sure the result is read correctly, with the whole family in mind.
Why the bill looks different in different places
India has no single fee structure for genetic counselling. Hospitals, genetics clinics and testing laboratories each set their own. Some laboratories employ counsellors and include a phone or video session in the test price. Some hospitals bill a counselling visit the way they bill any specialist appointment.
Paying for counselling is not paying twice. It pays for the part of the process that makes the result usable.Four arrangements
How is genetic counselling usually billed?
Ask which of these applies to you. The answer often differs between the hospital and the laboratory.
A separate consultation
A genetic counsellor or clinical geneticist sees you in clinic, and the visit is billed on its own like any specialist appointment. The results visit may be billed again.
Usually looks like
- A fee at each visit
- A longer first session to draw the family tree
- A shorter follow-up to explain the result
Included in the test price
Some laboratories offer counselling by phone or video as part of the package. Check that the counsellor is qualified, and that the session can be held in a language you are comfortable in.
Included counselling is often a single call. Ask how many sessions the price covers.Part of the oncologist's visit
When someone already on treatment is tested, the oncologist may hold the pre-test discussion within the usual consultation. A referral to a counsellor follows if the result is positive or unclear.
Covered by a programme
Research studies and some sponsored testing programmes include counselling at no charge. Insurance and scheme cover for a stand-alone counselling visit is less predictable, so ask before you assume.
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistStep by step
At which points might you pay for counselling?
The first visit
Your oncologist or family doctor refers you. The counsellor draws your family tree across three generations and asks who was diagnosed and at what age. This is where the first fee usually falls.
Choosing the test
The counsellor helps decide who in the family should be tested first and which test fits. This is normally part of the first visit, not a separate charge.
The test itself
The laboratory bills the test. Its price may or may not include counselling, so ask for a quote that lists both lines separately.
The results visit
The result is explained, in person or by call. If a fault is found, this visit also covers what it means for relatives. This is the second point where a fee may fall.
Relatives' visits
Each relative who comes for counselling is usually billed as a new patient, even though the family tree is already drawn. Ask whether a reduced fee applies.
On your quote
What do the words on a counselling quote mean?
- Pre-test counselling
- The discussion before the sample is taken. It covers what the test can find, what it cannot, and who else a result may affect.
- Post-test counselling
- The discussion after the result. It explains what was found and which relatives should be offered testing.
- Genetic counsellor
- A professional trained to explain inherited risk and support decisions about testing. Usually not a doctor, but works alongside one.
- Clinical geneticist
- A doctor who specialises in inherited conditions. Usually seen when a result is complex or a rare syndrome is suspected.
- Cascade testing
- Offering testing to relatives once a fault is found in the family. Each relative usually has their own session.
- Package price
- A single figure covering more than one item. Ask for the items to be listed so you know what is included.
Leave a number, we will call you
One field. No form to fill in, and no charge for the call.
Side by side
Separate fee or bundled: what is the difference?
Counselling billed separately
Counselling bundled with the test
You choose the counsellor, often at the treating hospital
The laboratory provides the counsellor
Usually face to face, with the family tree drawn in the room
Often a phone or video call
The counsellor has no link to the laboratory you choose
The counsellor works for the company running the test
Can be booked before deciding on any test
Usually starts only once the test is ordered
Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you what counselling will cost you. Fees differ between hospitals, clinics and laboratories, and they change. The only reliable figure is an itemised estimate from the place you are going to, in writing, before the sample is sent.
It cannot read your result
What your specific variant means is a question for the counsellor who ordered the test. If a laboratory has sent you a report with no counselling at all, ask your oncologist for a referral rather than reading it alone.
Who this does not apply to
Most people do not need genetic counselling or a genetic test. If your family has one relative diagnosed at an older age, and no pattern of young or repeated cancers, a counsellor may simply confirm that testing is not needed. That short answer is worth having, but it rarely needs a full workup.
If you are unsure whether counselling is included in a quote, call the helpline and read it out. Someone will tell you what it covers.Commonly believed
Four things families assume about counselling fees
"Counselling is optional, so we can skip it to save money."
Skipping it saves one fee and risks a costlier mistake. Testing the wrong relative first, or choosing the wrong test, often means paying for a second test later.
"If the lab includes counselling, we need nobody else."
Laboratory counselling can be good, but it is usually one call about one result. It may not cover what the finding means for screening or for treatment already under way. Your oncologist still needs to see the report.
"The counsellor will charge the full fee for every relative."
Often each relative is billed, but not always in full. Some clinics see relatives together, or charge less once the family tree is done. It is fair to ask before booking.
"A negative result means the counselling was wasted."
A negative result still needs explaining. Whether it settles the question for relatives depends on who was tested first. The counsellor tells you whether the family can stop worrying or should still be watched.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about counselling fees
Is genetic counselling charged separately from the test?
Often, but it depends on who arranges it. A hospital or clinic may bill counselling as its own consultation. A laboratory may fold a phone session into the test price. Ask for an itemised quote that lists counselling, the test and any follow-up visit separately, so you can see exactly what you are paying for.
Do I pay for counselling before and after the test?
At many centres, yes, because these are two different visits. The first decides whether and how to test. The second explains the result. Some places charge a single fee for both. Ask whether the price you are quoted covers the results visit too, since it may fall several weeks later.
Is counselling provided by the lab good enough?
It can be, if the counsellor is qualified and the session is long enough to answer your questions. The limitation is that the counsellor works for the laboratory. For a positive or unclear result, your oncologist or an independent counsellor should also go through the report with you.
Can I get genetic counselling in Telugu?
Ask when you book. Many families find the conversation far easier in their first language, especially when older relatives are involved. If the counsellor does not speak Telugu, bring a family member who can explain afterwards, and ask for the key points in writing.
Will my relatives have to pay for their own counselling?
Usually each relative is seen, and billed, as a patient in their own right. The family tree and the known fault often make their sessions shorter. Ask whether the clinic offers a reduced fee for relatives who come after a positive result in the family.
Does insurance or Aarogyasri pay for counselling?
Cover for a stand-alone counselling visit is uncommon and varies by policy and scheme. It is more likely to be paid when it sits inside a treatment package. Ask your insurer or the scheme desk before the visit, with the doctor's referral in hand.
Can I skip counselling if I only want the test?
Some laboratories will test without it, but it is rarely wise. Counselling decides who should be tested first and which test fits the family. Without it, families sometimes pay for the wrong test, or make decisions about preventive care that the result did not justify.
How do I know exactly what I am paying for?
Ask for the quote in writing before the sample is taken. It should name the test, say whether counselling is included and for how many sessions, and state what happens if the result needs a second look. Call the CION helpline if you want help reading a quote.
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
Want a specific doctor for your case? Mention them when booking.
Book Free ConsultationBook an appointment with our specialist
Share your name and number — we'll call you back within 30 minutes to schedule your consultation.
Sources
- National Cancer Institute — Genetic Testing for Inherited Cancer Susceptibility Syndromes
- MedlinePlus Genetics — What is the cost of genetic testing, and how long does it take to get the results?
- MedlinePlus Genetics — How can I find a genetics professional in my area?
- NHS — Predictive genetic tests for cancer risk genes
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
What is included in a genetic test priceLine by line, what a quote should coverCost of testing relatives after a positive resultWhat the family pays once a fault is foundWhat a genetic counsellor doesWhat you are paying for, and what happens in the roomQuestions to ask a laboratory before testingA checklist to take with you before the sample goes
Talk to us
Not sure what your counselling quote covers?
Read us the quote you have been given and we will explain what it includes and what it leaves out. If you need a referral for counselling, we will help arrange it. One helpline serves every CION centre.