Comments on: GINA redux http://genomeboy.com/2008/05/09/gina-redux/ Sun, 06 Jul 2008 03:01:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Mr. Gunn http://genomeboy.com/2008/05/09/gina-redux/#comment-1712 Mr. Gunn Wed, 28 May 2008 00:04:41 +0000 http://genomeboy.com/2008/05/09/gina-redux/#comment-1712 Surely this is about more than just a skittish public that won't want to use the new screening services. Of course people are going to be worried, but I don't think those concerns are well-founded. The Neo-eugenics fears that are behind GINA just won't come to pass, because there's no real incentive. Insurance companies would keep taking people's money, because the actual rates of claims wouldn't change. Companies can't make hiring decisions based on it, because there's no indication when the risk will turn into a reality. Do you think more people will avoid testing because they're concerned about privacy or because they'd have to pay out of pocket? I'd bet the latter, and GINA pretty much torpedoed any chance of having this kind of screening covered, hasn't it? Surely this is about more than just a skittish public that won’t want to use the new screening services. Of course people are going to be worried, but I don’t think those concerns are well-founded. The Neo-eugenics fears that are behind GINA just won’t come to pass, because there’s no real incentive. Insurance companies would keep taking people’s money, because the actual rates of claims wouldn’t change. Companies can’t make hiring decisions based on it, because there’s no indication when the risk will turn into a reality.

Do you think more people will avoid testing because they’re concerned about privacy or because they’d have to pay out of pocket? I’d bet the latter, and GINA pretty much torpedoed any chance of having this kind of screening covered, hasn’t it?

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