Should insurance companies have the right to request the result of genetic tests (1 Viewer)

[boris]

Moral dilemma time kids!

Should insurance companies have the right to request genetic test results from people applying for insurance, and should they have the right to request the genetic results from family members in the event you refuse to disclose your information?

Food for thought;
http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/179_09_031103/lyn10352_fm.html

I dunno. On one hand I can see why an insurance company would want to know if you're going to die from a disease 4 months after you take out life insurance but at the same time I find it scary that we're moving into a place where we can be discriminated against by our genetic make up.

 

[boris]

Yes. If you don't like it you don't have to choose that insurane provider. Privacy rights don't extend to voluntary agreements.

Also, there should be a decent public health system in place so that people are not totally reliant on private health insurance.

I don't think it's just private health insurance, it's all sorts of insurance.

It's more life insurance than health insurance, as health insurance isn't dependent on you being healthy and not dropping off. Where as I think life insurance companies would be royally pissed if 4 months after devising a policy for you, you drop dead from a disorder that could have been picked up by a genetic test.

 

[boris]

Insurance companies have been "discriminating" based on personal and family history information for years, why does it suddenly become so scary when genetics are mentioned, it is just a better quality method of examining the same sort of information.

I think it has become a contentious issue because many people do not believe these companies should have the right to obtain detailed genetic information on a client, especially if the client does not know, or want to know the results of the genetic test themselves.

 

[boris]

oic, how would they get the information without the client's consent?

well thats the other issue, should they be able to obtain the information without consent?

The other thing that has been proposed is that they can request the genetic information of family members to determine if the applicant is suitable.

 

[boris]

All insurance applications, however, contained a duty of disclosure that would require revealing the result, if known by the applicant, of a genetic test in a family member. Therefore, decisions made by family members can affect insurance applications, and people considering genetic testing may also need to consider the implications of the results for other family members.

.

 

[Slidey]

No. It should be illegal for any private or government entity to request or access your genetic data without your express permission.

Insurance would be completely illogical if you only gave it to the people who didn't need it (i.e. those who aren't going to die, fall ill, hurt themselves, etc).

But it's all about money for them, so if they can think of a scheme to cut a loss, they'll try and take it regardless the morality of it.

 

[boris]

Well I was thinking that if they're going to base who they give their policies to according to genetic data, they're not going to be giving out many policies.

In some cases it'd be completely ridiculous. 'Oh person X has the genetic marker for breast cancer, we won't give her a life insurance policy on the off chance she develops the disease...' despite the odds of survival from breast cancer being extremely high.

Something like Huntingtons Disease though... I could understand them being hesitant about giving a policy to somebody with that disease,

 

[Nebuchanezzar]

No. If the insurer doesn't like it then get out of the insurance business.

Insurance companies have been "discriminating" based on personal and family history information for years

Not fair.

Also, there should be a decent public health system in place so that people are not totally reliant on private health insurance.

If at all.

 

[^CoSMic DoRiS^^]

No, they shouldn't have the right to that kind of information. Your genetic make up might make you an insurance risk, but to me, it's the kind of information that is nobody's business but your own and possibly your doctor's. I can see why insurance companies like the idea, but it's way too invasive for my liking.

Just because you are genetically predisposed to something doesn't necessarily mean you will develop whatever ailment is in your family. I have a long family history of mental illness, it doesn't mean I'm going to start frothing at the mouth any time soon. It's not a terribly reliable means of risk assessment in a lot of cases, I would think.

 

[Slidey]

I hope Rudd's razor gang tears the shit out of the medicare/PBS beauracracy.

There are medications in Australia that are now private prescription only that have been available in America for 20 years. These are medications for Depression and like disorders that have 1/10th of the negative side-effects of current PBS medication, yet the TGA/PBS are dragging their feet because every individual has 450,000 bosses at every step of the ladder, so trying to add on new drugs to the PBS becomes a total nightmare.

fucking yes.

+ true about luck.

 

[Serius]

sounds kind of bad, but i guess if its for life insurance its a different matter. Dont like it? then dont get insured with that company. Easy.

 

[Slidey]

sounds kind of bad, but i guess if its for life insurance its a different matter. Dont like it? then dont get insured with that company. Easy.

Easy enough to say until each company adopts this policy to stay competitive.

 

[Serius]

Yeah i guess thats true, but all it means is that your life insurance rate would now be a more accurate assessment of your circumstances.

The other thing they might do is that you dont have to get a genetic test, but if you do and it checks out as normal, you are eligible for a special, cheaper rate.

 

[jb_nc]

No.

 

[Slidey]

Yeah i guess thats true, but all it means is that your life insurance rate would now be a more accurate assessment of your circumstances.

The other thing they might do is that you dont have to get a genetic test, but if you do and it checks out as normal, you are eligible for a special, cheaper rate.

See my earlier post: insurance becomes pointless if only the people who don't need it can get it (or afford it).

 

[Serius]

Well i thought the point of life insurance was, that in the unlikely event that something bad were to happen, your family is looked after by a big pay out. Something bad probably wont happen, or if it does chances say you will have all ready paid alot with your monthly insurance anyway to cover it. Insurance companies still have to make a profit, you are paying for peace of mind, its not a logical bet. if anything its the anti gamble.

If people are predisposed to a certain disease, their insurance rate should be higher to reflect that.

 

[MaNiElla]

No.

.

 

[kaz1]

of course they should

 

[boris]

Well i thought the point of life insurance was, that in the unlikely event that something bad were to happen, your family is looked after by a big pay out. Something bad probably wont happen, or if it does chances say you will have all ready paid alot with your monthly insurance anyway to cover it. Insurance companies still have to make a profit, you are paying for peace of mind, its not a logical bet. if anything its the anti gamble.

If people are predisposed to a certain disease, their insurance rate should be higher to reflect that.

So you also think it's fair if they base your eligibility on the genetic information of relatives? Or based on genetic information which may or may not lead to disease?
Example;
Father has HD. Insurance company refuses to insure you because of your family history.
Or;
You get tested for two breast cancer genes. It turns out you have the genes. Unlike diseases like HD, having a breast cancer gene does not mean you have a 100% chance of developing the disease.

It's fucked.

 

[boris]

And you're basically wiping out entire populations of people from being able to access health insurance. Especially populations like Aboriginals who are more genetically prone to certain diseases than non Aboriginal people.