Congress Near Deal on Genetic Test Bias Bill

To think this bill was first initiated in 1995...good that we have a Senator who is an MD working on the project as well...again it's all about insurance...who gets a yes vote and who might receive a no....BD 

Congress reached an agreement clearing the way for a bill to prohibit discrimination by employers and health insurers on the basis of genetic tests.Some of the tests already exist, like one for breast cancer risk, and new ones are being introduced almost every month. But backers of the legislation say many people are afraid of taking such tests because they fear the results would be used to deny them employment or health insurance. Senator Coburn, a medical doctor, had called for a “firewall” between the employer and insurance sections of the bill. “We withstood all the criticism we got from lots of people, and now we got it fixed,” he said.

But GINA does not prohibit discrimination once someone already has a disease, and some experts said such protection would have to be the next step.

Congress Near Deal on Genetic Test Bias Bill - New York Times