Regulations Related to Using Genetic Information
The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) of 2008 prohibits health insurance companies from using genetic information to make coverage or rate decisions. However, GINA protections do not extend to life insurance, disability insurance or long-term care insurance. So there is no federal law that limits the use of genetic information by life insurance companies.
Legislation has been proposed in several states, but Florida is the only state that has enacted a genetic privacy law that prohibits life insurance companies from canceling, limiting or denying coverage and from setting different premium rates based on genetic information.
In California, SB 41 enacts the Genetic Information Privacy Act (GIPA), which prohibits direct-to-consumer companies from disclosing your genetic information to any company responsible for administering disability insurance, health insurance, life insurance and long-term care insurance.
Consumer privacy advocates argue that there need to be more regulations to limit the use of genetic information by insurance companies in order to protect privacy and prevent discrimination.