Washington, D.C.  – In a hearing today before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions, U.S. Representative Charles W. Boustany, Jr. (R-Lafayette) condemned the discrimination of workers based on their genetic makeup.  Boustany, a retired cardio-thoracic surgeon, is a cosponsor of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (H.R. 493), legislation aimed to protect employees against genetic discrimination in employment and health insurance decisions.  

“Workers have a right to seek the care they need without fear of discrimination by insurers or their employers,” Boustany said.  “As a physician, I am particularly concerned about the harmful impact this practice has on the doctor-patient relationship.  Genetic testing has extraordinary potential for scientific research, but it cannot be realized as long as patients are wary of the terrible consequences that currently result when employers and insurance companies misuse personal medical information.”

Since researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced in 2000 that they had successfully completed a “rough map” of the Human Genome, a wide universe of genetic research has been discovered.  However, it has also initiated a public policy discussion over who should have access to unique genetic information and what role this information might play in health care treatment and research, health insurance coverage, and employment decisions.

The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act would make it illegal for group health plans and health insurers to deny coverage to a healthy individual or charge him or her higher premiums based solely on a genetic predisposition to a specific disease.  The bill also bars employers from using individuals’ genetic information when making hiring, firing, job placement or promotion decisions.

To view a web cast of today’s hearing of the U.S. House Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions, click here.