Once this information becomes available to health insurance agencies, insurance rates and plans may be customized based upon a person’s genetic markers.
Fortunately, “some protections regarding genetic privacy do exist. The Genetic Information and Non-Discrimination Act (GINA), which became law in 2008, prohibits health insurance companies from using genetic information to make eligibility, coverage or premium-setting decisions” (Williams).
This also calls into question job eligibility, but “the law also prevents employers from including genetic data in their decisions about hiring, firing and promotions” (Williams).
There are gaps in GINA, however:
“The law does not apply to companies with fewer than 15 employees or the U.S. military. And it also does not cover long-term care insurance, life insurance or disability insurance; for instance, having discovered you have the BRCA gene that raises your risk for breast cancer, a company can legally deny you a life insurance policy” (Williams).
So, based upon your job and genetic predispositions, you may be denied health insurance coverage just because you once had to give your DNA to prove you were not at a crime scene.
Fortunately, “some protections regarding genetic privacy do exist. The Genetic Information and Non-Discrimination Act (GINA), which became law in 2008, prohibits health insurance companies from using genetic information to make eligibility, coverage or premium-setting decisions” (Williams).
This also calls into question job eligibility, but “the law also prevents employers from including genetic data in their decisions about hiring, firing and promotions” (Williams).
There are gaps in GINA, however:
“The law does not apply to companies with fewer than 15 employees or the U.S. military. And it also does not cover long-term care insurance, life insurance or disability insurance; for instance, having discovered you have the BRCA gene that raises your risk for breast cancer, a company can legally deny you a life insurance policy” (Williams).
So, based upon your job and genetic predispositions, you may be denied health insurance coverage just because you once had to give your DNA to prove you were not at a crime scene.
