The Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act (GINA) passed in the Senate on Thursday with a vote of 95 – 0. Senator Coburn (R-OK), who had put a hold on the legislation, came to an agreement with his colleagues paving the way for the bill. GINA has had large support in the past, but has never managed to pass both houses in the same session.
The bill makes it illegal for health insurers to deny coverage or charge a higher rate or premium to an otherwise healthy individual found to have a potential genetic condition or genetic predisposition towards a disease or disorder. GINA also makes it illegal for employers to use an employee’s genetic information when making hiring, firing, placement, or promotion decisions.
GINA now now goes to the House, which passed it by a wide margin last year and is expected to do so again.
President Bush has indicated that he will sign the bill.
To read The Hill Article click here
April 24, 2008 at 5:02 pm, Kate Murphy said:
This is great news for people with inherited colorectal cancer and their families. Fear of not being able to get critical health insurance has kept many people from pursuing genetic testing. Since inherited cancers like Lynch syndrome or FAP appear at a much younger age and develop much more quickly than sporadic colon and rectal cancer, putting off testing can mean that cancer isn’t discovered until its late and very dangerous stages.