Could my genetic results impact my health insurance or employment?
Answer:
In most cases, no. The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) is a federal law that protects individuals from genetic discrimination in health insurance and in most places of employment.
Under this law, it is illegal for health insurance companies to increase premiums, alter coverage, or deny coverage based on genetic testing results. Some members of the military and federal government are not covered under GINA but have similar protections.
GINA also makes it illegal for employers with 15 or more employees to consider your genetic testing results when making decisions about hiring, firing, or promoting. GINA does not apply to life insurance, long-term care insurance, and other types of insurance.
To learn more about regulations in your state visit the Genome Statute and Legislation Database.