What is genetic discrimination, and what laws protect people from this type of discrimination?

Genetic discrimination occurs when people are treated differently by their insurance company or employer because they have a gene alteration that increases their risk of a disease, such as cancer. People who undergo genetic testing to find out whether they have an alteration in their BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene may be at risk for genetic discrimination. A positive genetic test result may affect a person’s insurance coverage, particularly their health insurance. A person with a positive result may be denied coverage for medical expenses related to their genetic condition, dropped from their current health plan, or unable to qualify for new insurance. Some insurers view the affected individual as a potential cancer patient whose medical treatment would be costly to the insurance company. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 provides some protection for people who have employer-based health insurance. The Act prohibits group health plans from using genetic ...