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| April 25th, 2008 |
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Media Contact(s): Mark Eddington or Jared Whitley, (202) 224-5251 |
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HATCH JOINS COLLEAGUES IN PASSING GENETIC INFORMATION NONDISCRIMINATION ACT
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Washington – Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) joined Senate colleagues this week in passing a bill that would prevent employers and health insurers from discriminating against people on the basis of genetics.
As adopted by the Senate, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) helps people avail themselves of the latest advances in genetics without fear of reprisals such as losing their jobs or health insurance.
“Researchers have made huge strides in deciphering the DNA sequence of the human genetic code,” said Hatch, who cosponsored the original bill, S. 358, in 2007 with Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine). “This bill allows patients genetically predisposed toward Alzheimer’s, cancer and other serious ailments to receive preventative treatment without any fear of that subjecting them to discrimination or being used against them in other ways. This is critically important legislation.”
GINA (H.R. 493) prevents enrollment restrictions and premium adjustments based on genetic information. Moreover, it prevents health insurers from asking or requiring individuals to take a genetic test. It further restricts discrimination in hiring based on genetic information and requires such information possessed by employers to be maintained in confidence and disclosed only to employees or under other strictly regulated circumstances.
The bill now goes before the House, which is expected to approve it quickly. President Bush supports the legislation.
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