Seen in the Wall Street Journal (subscriber link):
After more than a decade of deliberation, the Senate cleared the bill 95-0 Thursday. The same bill is expected to sail through the House early next week — just as a similar measure did a year ago — and on to President Bush, who is expected to sign it.
The legislation would bar insurance companies from denying health coverage or charging higher premiums based on a person’s genetic information. It would also bar employers from using genetic information to make hiring, firing and other job-placement decisions. It applies to people who have genes that carry the risk of disease, but not to those who already have the disease.
I will admit that my initial reaction was one of fears of adverse selection. However, that was quickly reined in. Given that everybody who can get health insurance should have some coverage, there aren’t too many folks who would opt out of the system altogether. And, it’s not inconceivable to imagine how the potential for better diagnosis and more targeted monitoring and early detection of potential health issues could lead to a net savings for the system overall.
