Submitted by Diane Stafford
Kansas City Star
May 21, 2009
New health care insurance laws go into effect todayAmericans now have more protection against health insurance discrimination based on personal genetic information.
Part of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 becomes effective today.
That means:
* Insurance companies are prohibited from basing coverage eligibility or adjusting premium costs on the basis of DNA tests.
* Insurance companies are banned from asking policy applicants to undergo genetic testing or screening.
Later this year -- on Nov. 21 -- another aspect of the law will go into effect, covering employers. At that time, employers will be prohibited from using genetic information to deny employment and will be prohibited from collecting employee's genetic information without explicit consent.
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