Compliance May 21, 2003

Genetic Discrimination Protection Bill Passes Senate Committee

May 21, 2003 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - A US Senate committee has passed out a bill, which would protect individuals from discrimination in hiring, employment, and health insurance on the basis of genetic information.
Reported by

>According to a news release from Senator Judd Gregg (R-New Hampshire), the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee unanimously green-lighted the measure on a voice vote Wednesday morning. Gregg is the committee chair.

“The legislation we are passing today fulfills the promise of the Human Genome Project. It establishes in federal law basic legal protections to enable and encourage individuals to take advantage of genetic screening, counseling, testing and new therapies,” Gregg said in a statement.

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>The announcement said the Genetics Non-Discrimination Act would:

  • protect against genetic discrimination from health plans and insurance companies
  • prohibit health insurance plans from denying an individual enrollment in the plan because of individual’s or family member’s genetic information
  • prohibit health insurance plans from charging higher premiums to individuals because of individual’s or family member’s genetic information
  • prohibit health insurance companies from basing premiums of a group health plan on genetic information of members (including family members) of the plan.

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