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Rank: Constant Gardener
Joined: 9/30/2009
Posts: 9,518
Location: Cakeland, United States
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I've long wondered (since the mid-90s) if and when, these scenarios might appear and how they might be handled. I had never even heard of this legislation, to begin with...until 30 minutes ago. When Congress enacted GINA in 2008, the House of Representatives supported it 414-1, and the Senate backed it unanimously.The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, which was passed out of concern for just such cases in the wake of huge advances
in genetics testing, took effect in late 2009. GINA, as it is known, makes it illegal for employers to fire or refuse to hire workers
based on their “genetic information” — including genetic tests and family history of disease. GINA doesn’t just apply to employers:
health-insurance companies can be sued for using genetic information to set rates or even just for investigating people’s genes.
Another major reason genetic-discrimination laws are popular is that this is a kind of bias everyone feels they could be exposed to.
If you are white, you may not think you will benefit from a law against racial discrimination, and if you are straight you probably do
not worry about discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. But none of us has perfect genes — and for the most part, we
have no idea what is lurking in our DNA and RNA. Our genes are complex enough that we all have some negative information encoded
in there — and none of us wants to lose a job or be denied insurance over it.
When juries begin to hear these cases, they are far more likely to identify with the plaintiffs than with the companies that discriminate.
That doesn’t mean that there won’t be plenty of companies looking to benefit from genetic information, but if they use it, they may
well have to pay.I am also wondering how employers and insurance companies would even be able to get their frigg'n paws on this type of very personal information, to begin with.
 The best thing you can do for your fellow,
next to rousing his conscience, is - not to give him things
to think about, but to wake things up that are in him...
to make him think things for himself - George MacDonald
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Rank: The Linebacker
Joined: 3/2/2011
Posts: 3,296
Location: Atlanta, United States
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I could easily see insurance companies wanting to use your genetic information to possibly raise your health insurance rates or deny you coverage. Genetic information is very dangerous in the wrong hands. As our enormous government evolves toward a more autocratic force this information could be another tool to make us totally subjective to our government.
Please check out my newest story: "10 Items Or Less"http://www.lushstories.com/stories/milf/10-items-or-less.aspxOr my previous story: http://www.lushstories.com/stories/straight-sex/in-the-land-of-salvation-and-sin.aspx
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Rank: Lurker
Joined: 11/30/2006
Posts: 327,262
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WellMadeMale wrote:
I am also wondering how employers and insurance companies would even be able to
get their frigg'n paws on this type of very personal information, to begin with. How? The Medical Information Bureau (MIB). It's not a far stretch of the imagination that a doctor sends a woman to have BRCA1&BRCA2 testing for a very strong family history of breast cancer and now that information can easily end up in her medical records and part of the database at the MIB.
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Rank: Forum Guru
Joined: 9/6/2011
Posts: 781
Location: the land of enchantment, United States
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while we may have HIPAA laws they are easily circumvented. my ex, a nurse, can access my medical records any time of his choosing and not get caught...
it astounds me though that we need this kind of protection...all in the chase for the mighty dollar.
littlemissbitch ~ professional face ripper offer, at your service..
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Rank: Forum Guru
Joined: 6/29/2011
Posts: 614
Location: South Florida, United States
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I am sure the battle of privacy rights involving our DNA has just begun. Any protected rights we have now can easily be taken away if it means that the federal government and large corporations both will mutually benefit by doing so.
You are invited to read Passionate Danger, Part II, a story collaboration by Kim and ArtMan. http://www.lushstories.com/stories/straight-sex/passionate-danger-part-ii.aspx
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