Posted on 11/15/2003 1:35:18 PM PST by jt8d
The problem is called "ex post facto" - this is a retroactive action. Of course, SCOTUS will parse away the problem by saying that this action is not a punishment.
I understand your cynicism, but I do believe that environmental laws written by Republicans are far more respective of Homo sapiens than are laws written by Rats, and we've seen that difference in numerous states.
Besides, what is the solution to the problem of being able to ultimately identify the likelyhood of each individual's propensity for disease? Would you instead rely on laws prohibiting discrimination in insurance and employment based on genetics? Even if you did, individuals with "clean" genes would always be able to get better rates, simply by voluntarily offering their DNA for a test. Once you have that going, then anyone who won't offer theirs is automatically suspect, and rated accordingly.
The solution is to put "genetic destiny" into its proper perspective. There are genetic probabilities for some diseases ranging from 100% certainty of disease to just the slightest predisposition of a particular disease. Genetic destiny means easy profit and is also an easy excuse for poor diet and exercise habits. Since I'm a fan of holistic medicine, I'm also a fan of holistic genetics which will be invented someday, but is an oxymoron to the gene counters today.
Sounds fine in theory, but we're talking the insurance industry, here. We're talking about a business that practices legal discrimination every single day. If you don't believe me, try paying for auto insurance if you're a younger, unmarried male. You might have just as much driving experience and temperament as a married female of the same age, but she's gonna get a deal, and you'll get the shaft, based solely on demographics. The only thing they haven't figured out how to add into the equation is religion or race.
Malpractice insurance raises, the nursing shortage, and genetic science are on a collision course with the aging baby boomers. If you think its bad now in health care, it will be far worse in ten years if we don't come up with some solutions. If the Republican majority of 2007 cannot come up with some real answers, then they can expect to be unseated by Rats with radical ideas that will take hold in either 2009 or 2013, after the majorities swing their way.
AFAIK it's illegal. But the risk pooling of insurance doesn't need government regulation if we are willing to subsidize a high risk pool. Everybody else should be able to get a group rate based on their employment, union or professional association.
Adding genetic information would be less effective than adding other personal information such as whether you go to lots of parties. I totally agree that the insurance companies would like to add genetic garbage to their databases, but I maintain that it is not as effective as other personal data and won't be added just as the personal data is not.
If you are breathing, talking, or thinking, you will aways run that risk. Think about the creeping hate crime legislation that gradually seeks to make thinking the wrong thing a crime.
I don't think I commited any felonies today, but I did snicker when a guy got on the bus with his "man purse". Hate crime? Not yet, but it's coming. Falling back on the old "don't do anything illegal and you won't have anything to worry about" paradigm isn't a solution. If it were, we wouldn't be in a "free country" arguing about it.
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