COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Thousands of people in central Ohio now have free access to genetic testing that will provide detailed information about their health that previously had to be ordered by a doctor and performed in a clinical setting.
According to the Franklin County Cooperative Health Improvement Program, the new home test kit is available to Franklin County health care enrolled employees and their covered family members, including children 18 and older. The test can be ordered online and completed with a self-administered cheek swab. After mailing the material back to the lab, the results are available in about two to three weeks. The program also provides test-takers access to genetic counselors to help them interpret the outcome.
Screening will be performed for three inherited conditions:
• Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome (known as BRCA tests)
• Lynch Syndrome, which increases the risk of certain cancers including colon, pancreatic and skin cancer
• Familial Hypercholesterolemia or FH, which causes high levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart disease and early heart attacks
The genetic analysis is a pilot program running through June 2025 in collaboration with Let’s Get Checked (LGC), a virtual company that provides at-home health tests, telehealth services, and prescriptions, and UnitedHealthcare (UHC), Franklin County’s health insurance provider.
A UnitedHealthcare video presentation about the program notes that the test is not for people “who do not have a significant personal or family history” of the three conditions. Individuals must also answer specific health questions to confirm their eligibility.
In an email to members, the Franklin County Cooperative Health Improvement Program stated that early detection and prevention are at the core of the new offering.
“These conditions are rare,” it read. “But the majority of individuals who are at-risk, don’t know they are at-risk. Early detection offers you the power to take preventive actions and work with your healthcare provider to reduce the severity or even prevent these diseases.”
The organization also offered several website links for employees to learn more and check the privacy policy surrounding the mail-in test.
