GOP Bill Would Let Your Employer Demand to See Your Genetic Information [H.R. 1313]

NY Magazine ^ | 10 March 2017 | Eric Levitz

[Lorianne]

Rather than roll back the Safeway Amendment, the House GOP is working to expand its reach. Per Stat News:

A little-noticed bill moving through Congress would allow companies to require employees to undergo genetic testing or risk paying a penalty of thousands of dollars, and would let employers see that genetic and other health information.

Giving employers such power is now prohibited by legislation including the 2008 genetic privacy and nondiscrimination law known as GINA. The new bill gets around that landmark law by stating explicitly that GINA and other protections do not apply when genetic tests are part of a “workplace wellness” program.

The House’s bill is one part of “phase two” of the GOP’s health-insurance-reform plan — a package of regulatory reforms that can’t pass through the reconciliation process, and, thus, need Democratic votes in the Senate.

[Lorianne]

A bill proposed by Republicans that will allow employers to require genetic testing has passed a key committee vote. (This was already in Obamacare but they are voting to expand it. Don't be fooled that this wasn't already in Obamacare).

The bill will allow employers to charge their employees for their healthcare premiums if they refuse to be genetically tested. Employees who take the test and show to have higher health risks would have a higher co-pay for their healthcare insurance.

Employees who decline genetic testing could face penalties under proposed bill

Watch out, this bill will likely be folded into the new Obama/Trump Care bill in some fashion.

Resist.

Vote out of office every single person in Congress who supports this monstrosity, either Obamacare or the so-called replacement Obama-Trumpcare.

Also DO NOT let the media spin this as only Republicans supporting this. A version of this is already law in Obamacare which was voted on by Democrats.

[Paladin2]

Has the ‘Rat gene been ID’d yet?

[luckystarmom]

Don’t like this at all! Huge invasion of privacy!

[Lorianne]

Other articles on the subject:

https://www.statnews.com/2017/03/10/workplace-wellness-genetic-testing/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7Ft81wNmh0&feature=youtu.be

[onedoug]

RINOs & republicrats...emphasis on “rats”

[Alberta's Child]

This was always the danger in having your employer cover your health insurance premiums. As premiums have escalated over the years to the point where they aren’t even affordable for the employer anymore, every employer has a financial interest in firing workers who aren’t triathletes.

[fruser1]

Well, they want to know if you smoke or are overweight and charge you more for that in the name of “wellness”.

Genetics just identifies another risk pool.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Well, at least Republicans are proposing this. Can you imagine if the Dems were doing this? It’ll be far worse. So we need to keep holding our noses for Republicans.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

For employees with expensive health care needs working for large companies who care more about the bottom line, it will be:

[Raycpa]

Poison pill.

[DBrow]

I’m not quite sure what this says, but it is the “genetics” paragraph of the bill: “b) Collection of information.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the collection of information about the manifested disease or disorder of a family member shall not be considered an unlawful acquisition of genetic information with respect to another family member as part of a workplace wellness program described in paragraph (1) or (2) offered by an employer (or in conjunction with an employer-sponsored health plan described in section 2705(j) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg–4(j))) and shall not violate title I or title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–233). For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term “family member” has the meaning given such term in section 201 of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (Public Law 110–233).”

[who_would_fardels_bear]

Isn't this essentially charging people for a pre-existing condition? Something they can do nothing about?

This is certainly an invasion of privacy.

I knew this whole "wellness program" schtick was another step toward totalitarianism.

[Verbosus]

For years I have pestered workmates saying this was coming.
“Just like Gattaca, I tell ya. Just like Gattaca.”

:)

[a fool in paradise]

Think this is bad imagine the horror if a baby could be terminated for genetic reasons (wrong sex, birth defects, risks of problems later in life).

[grania]

This frightens me, even if it's "only for wellness programs" or "voluntary". I'd rather see a law that genetic testing or any kind of DNA testing cannot be divulged to an employer, for ANY reason.

Once it's allowed, our masters can make it so workers reap a benefit by providing it. Once that happens, the next step is an expectation that it be provided or you'll be impacted negatively.

I'd really like to know who put this bad news into the bill. With it, the bill can justly be called "NaziCare".

[Ouderkirk]

Having your DNA entered into a database is unsettling to say the least.

While DNA may very well be destiny, the idea that I can be penalized based on DNA is a step too far.

Maybe I could be penalized for being white, or....(gasp) a JEW !!!

This lead no place good.

[Black Agnes]

They will be doing that to grown adults.

‘Sorry Mrs Smith, you have two mutations known to increase the risk of breast cancer, therefore we can’t financially justify paying for your heart surgery (knee replacement, cataract surgery).”

[savedbygrace]

By Virginia Fox, NC.

[I want the USA back]

Both parties are leading this country into totalitarian fascism. It’s just that the dems are moving us there faster.

[Arm_Bears]

Which of the two major US political parties is destroying itself faster?