Elizabeth Copley’s doctor advised her to get a Panorama test from Natera, Inc. while she was pregnant with her second child. Copley was told it would cost no more than “a couple hundred dollars.” However, after the test was done, she was billed for $8,000. The complaint for this class action alleges that Natera “employ[s] a marketing and billing policy that is erratic and designed to deceive[.]”
The class for this action is all persons in the US who had a Panorama, Horizon, Vistara, or Spectrum test done by Natera and who were then billed more than $249 for the test.
Natera performs genetic testing for patients who are pregnant or hoping to get pregnant. The tests screen those who hope to become pregnant for genetic defects and analyze the DNA pregnant mothers’ placentas to look for chromosome conditions that can affect the baby’s health. The complaint alleges, “Natera brochures represent to patients that they will be charged no more than $249.”
Natera does not reveal the full price of its tests in its advertising materials. The complaint claims, “This is in stark contrast to Natera’s boastful claims on its website that it offers price transparency.”
The company also tells patients that it has a Price Transparency Program, so that after they provide their insurance information, it will “generate[] an insurance estimate.” Natera says that “if [it] estimates your cost to exceed [its] cash price, [it will] contact you via text or email and you choose how you pay: insurance or cash.”
But according to the complaint, Natera does not contact customers: “Natera simply runs the tests through insurance and bills patients the amount determined by the insurance as patient responsibility.” Also, the complaint alleges, “Natera misrepresents to its patients through its brochures and other channels of marketing such as physician offices or fertility clinics that the out-of-pocket expense for patients [will] not exceed $249.”
Because genetic testing is still rather new, some insurance plans do not cover it; also, if the patient has not met the deductible, the amount above the amount the insurance “allows” can be high.
In Copley’s case, her husband called her insurance company, which told him to call Natera. According to the complaint, “Natera told them that if they agreed to pay $249 on the call, Natera would write off the rest of the charges.” But almost a month after that, Copley was billed for $721.10. A few weeks later, she received another bill for the same amount. She made one payment to Natera of $50, “under protest,” and then received a third bill for $671.10 that was “due immediately.”
The counts include violation of California’s Unfair Competition Law, its Consumer Legal Remedies Act, and breach of implied contract or quasi-contract.
Article Type: LawsuitTopic: medical
Most Recent Case Event
Natera Genetic Testing Deceptive Price Information Complaint
November 18, 2021
Elizabeth Copley’s doctor advised her to get a Panorama test from Natera, Inc. while she was pregnant with her second child. Copley was told it would cost no more than “a couple hundred dollars.” However, after the test was done, she was billed for $8,000. The complaint for this class action alleges that Natera “employ[s] a marketing and billing policy that is erratic and designed to deceive[.]”
Natera Genetic Testing Deceptive Price Information ComplaintCase Event History
Natera Genetic Testing Deceptive Price Information Complaint
November 18, 2021
Elizabeth Copley’s doctor advised her to get a Panorama test from Natera, Inc. while she was pregnant with her second child. Copley was told it would cost no more than “a couple hundred dollars.” However, after the test was done, she was billed for $8,000. The complaint for this class action alleges that Natera “employ[s] a marketing and billing policy that is erratic and designed to deceive[.]”
Natera Genetic Testing Deceptive Price Information Complaint