The New Healthcare Bill … The Unraveling of Genetic Privacy

The New Healthcare Bill … The Unraveling of Genetic Privacy

By: Roger Landry (TLB)

Note to the Government: You already know more about me than fits anywhere in my comfort zone. You track my car, You listen to and record my phone calls, you spy on what and where I visit on the internet, you read my emails, you record my Tweets, you invade my home through my Smart TV, you record my actions via cameras placed throughout my community … and now you want access to my genetic code?

All of the above proven electronic intrusion into our daily lives is bad enough, and on far too many levels goes directly against our constitutional protections, but in the name of protecting us (bull-crap) we, are forced to accept it (against our wishes) as a necessary evil. Yet now we are opening a whole new can of worms. With the state of DNA or Genetic testing today information is now available concerning your genetic predisposition to certain diseases or dysfunctions and so much more that can only be comprehended by those with a PhD.

Requiring or openly sharing DNA testing information is illegal or severely restricted under Title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) which restricts employers “from requesting, requiring or purchasing genetic information, and strictly limits the disclosure of genetic information.” But once again, an over reaching government is finding a way to bypass or strip us of this protection.

Are we looking at a new form of discrimination developing right before our eyes? Will employers with this tool be able to fire you or never hire you in the first place based on what “may” transpire … that predisposition to certain diseases or dysfunctions, saving them large sums of money on company provided healthcare plans, or down (sick) time. Will your future now depend on your genetic code?

Think this a conspiracy theory … then answer me this … Why the hell do they want it in the first place?

Also if you think for one second that this government wont have access to the results of these privacy invading tests … you are a fool … or else they wouldn’t be pushing (or sponsoring) for this level of “privacy invasive” testing in the first place? The real question is … WHY … and if this is allowed the answer to that question will be forthcoming. I can only believe nothing good can come from this for We The People.

Attached you will find an article explaining how this newest attack on our privacy will be instituted and who is pushing it. The Orwellian state we call America today is about to add another chapter in the birth of an all powerful and all seeing monolithic government!

The word “Your” in the phrase “It’s Your Life” is truly losing all meaning!

Please read on …

****************

Republicans Want To Let Your Boss DNA Test You

By: Andrew Joyce

This week, as Republicans continued to debate the best way to reform health care using small government conservative principles, one House committee voted on a novel way to improve our health care system — let employers subject their workers to DNA tests.

The bill, introduced by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) and first reported on by STAT News and LifeHealthPro, would allow employers to require their employees to submit to a genetic test or face thousands of dollars in penalties.

If that sounds like it should be illegal, it’s because it sort of already is. Title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) prohibits employers “from requesting, requiring or purchasing genetic information, and strictly limits the disclosure of genetic information.”

House Republicans were able to get around that law by making genetic testing part of “workplace wellness” programs — employer-sponsored programs that typically include things like free yoga or health classes that are exempt from certain GINA requirements.

For example, Mic has a workplace wellness initiative that allows employees to participate in a free bike-sharing program. If this law were to pass, Mic could continue to offer free biking around New York City, while also coercing employees into disclosing their genetic predispositions to certain diseases through invasive cheek swabs and blood tests, all as part of the same strange program.

The bill passed the House Education and the Workforce Committee on party lines. It is expected to be folded into the second phase of the Republican health care bill, which, in case you had forgotten, is supposed to be a rebuke of government overreach and nanny state-ism in the Affordable Care Act.

The attached article (Republicans Want To Let Your Boss DNA Test You) was originally created and published by Policy.Mic and is republished here under “Fair Use” (see disclaimer below) with attribution to author Andrew Joyce and Policy.Mic.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*