Is the genetic testing of the father paid by the insurance?

Question

Hello,
we have a child (3 years) with CF, who has the mutation DeltaF508 homozygously.
When the diagnosis was made we were told in the CF center, that it is recommended to us parents to let a genetic testing done sometime (our family planning however is finished, we have 2 children altogether).
Now it is like this that my husband (46 years old) coughs strongly very often and is often phlegmy, he does not smoke. As a child he has been diagnosed to have chronic bronchitis.
We would like to have a genetic test done. At the CF center we were told at the last investigation of our child that he should address to the human genetic institue within the center. This is really time-consuming, as the center is also over 100km away and my husband is busy with a lot of work. In our case, we do not see the sense of a human genetic counselling (something like this would probably be important if we would like to have more children). Is it not possible to have the blood sample taken without the counselling (e.g. at the general practitioner or at the center) with the explanation that my husband shows symptoms of CF (he has also frequently loose stools) or does this cause problems in the coverage of costs via the insurance? [Question from Germany]
Many thanks

Answer

Hello,
you can have a genetic investigation done on the following way:
Taking a blood sample can be done at your general practitioner. 10ml of EDTA-blood has to be sent to an institute for human genetics with the order of a molecular genetic investigation, e.g. to the institute of human genetics in Hannover, Germany [adress left out here]. At the CF center there are normaly printed forms for such an investigation. It should be noticed that there is CF in the family and that it should be clarified, if also the illness or a carrier state is the case here. It is important that besides the blood sample there is a letter of referral for the human genetic institute included (molecular genetic investigation CF), in order that the costs are covered. In case of CF in the family, I did never make the experience that the costs have not been covered.
Yours sincerely,
Gabriele Becker

01.12.2011

1.12.11 This question comes from Germany and referrs to the German insurance system.
D. d'Alquen