GOP wants to give employers access to your personal medical and genetic information

[spanone]

How Healthy Are You? G.O.P. Bill Would Help Employers Find Out

A bill in Congress could make it harder for workers to keep employers from getting access to their personal medical and genetic information and raise the financial penalties for those who opt out of workplace wellness programs.

House Republicans are proposing legislation aimed at making it easier for companies to gather genetic data from workers and their families, including their children, when they collect it as part of a voluntary wellness program.

The bill, the Preserving Employee Wellness Programs Act, introduced by Representative Virginia Foxx, a Republican from North Carolina and the chairwoman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, would also significantly increase the financial costs faced by someone who does not join a company wellness program.

The bill, which is under review by other House committees and has yet to be considered by the Senate, has already provoked fierce opposition from a wide range of consumer, health and privacy advocacy groups, as well as by House Democrats. Critics claim it undermines existing laws aimed at protecting an individual’s personal medical information from use by employer and others.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/10/health/workplace-wellness-programs-health-genetic-data.html

[TheBlackAdder]

1. That's like these people sending info into to those lineage sites. Once outside of HIPAA...

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Once one of your family members releases their information, companies can map issues with the whole family.


Oh, as a side note. When you send medical information into your kid's schools, most states treat that as quasi-public information and are not bound by HIPAA. That information could come back and haunt your children later on down the line. So if your kid has IEP issues, is taking medication, etc. that could come out... especially if they become politically active.


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[Fast Walker 52]

4. Really? Do the lineage mapping sites do enough details to detect disease genes?

[TheBlackAdder]

6. Once you send in your DNA, who is to say what their scope of analysis really is, or later tests?

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I haven't read their TOS, which probably has a caveat that it is subject to change at a later date.


So, while you agree to a mapping of genealogy, they could revise it for a full-spectrum test later on.


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[dalton99a]

2. Kick.

[HockeyMom]

3. Employers who Self-Insure

This means that they will process employees medical claims, and know everything about them. I worked for a Public School District, with a Wellness Program, which did. It was VERY intrusive. If you covered your spouse and children, employers would know their medical histories also.

[Fast Walker 52]

5. this is so wrong, freaking sick people proposing this

[atreides1]

8. Foxx is as sick as they come

And is one the most vile people in the US Congress!!!

She looks like someone's grandmother, but she is nothing but a puss filled hag!!!

[dalton99a]

10. Trump will declare this a victory for the "little guy"

[atreides1]

7. If I lived in Foxx's district

Which I'm sure is chock full of fire and brimstone "Christians", I would accuse her of forcing people to get the "Mark of the Beast"!

It would be interesting to watch her do damage control!!!

[spanone]

9. 'less government' my ass. these people talk out of both sides of their mouths.

[Progressive dog]

11. So, we would be entitled to have all those

elected officials make their mandatory DNA testing public. After all, we are supposed to be their employers.
I'll bet DJT has really smart DNA, but he won't be able to release the testing.

[meadowlark5]

12. I have always been amazed so many people do that 23 and Me DNA test for lineage

Ancestry.com does it as well. I cannot believe so many people are fine with giving such personal information to a FOR PROFIT COMPANY. My husband did it because he wanted to find out about some gene that prevents the metabolizing of certain nutrients. I saw his results, a laundry list of this percentage or that percentage risk of developing X disease over his lifetime. As intelligent as the man is, he didn't seem the least bit concerned that now his DNA record is sitting out there at a corporation who probably doesn't have to adhere to HIPPA privacy laws.

He wanted to have our kids tested for this gene so we can be proactive with their health and I gave a big, fat NO.

[spanone]

13. this will be info for sale....that's what corporations do.

[meadowlark5]

17. That's what I am thinking

You know someone isn't seeing this as a treasure trove of information. And people willingly handing it over.

I told my husband, "what if one day employers decide to use this information as a weed out process?"

And here we are, but in a different way. Congress writing legislation for employers to DNA test you and for sure use those results against you.

[mopinko]

18. they are using it.

for all kinds of research. not sure how well the walk fits the talk, but they promise anonymity.
you get asked to fill out questionnaires about different meds, and health problems. i applaud this type of research.
obviously they are making money on the research. i dont have too much of a problem w that, as i think it should be very valuable research.

fwiw, they dont have a complete process, as they missed a defect that my daughter has.

[Hoyt]

14. Since employers can't legally get info by your name and there are penalties for discrimination,

I can't get real excited by this. As long as people can sue for discrimination, if it actually occurs, doesn't sound intrusive to me. Gave blood, weight, etc., for our wellness program last week. Even the white wingers did too. Of course, my employer is pretty decent about such things. That makes a difference.

[Hortensis]

15. Penalties for opting out of workplace wellness programs?

What happened to the commitment to personal freedom conservatives insist defines them?

May I suggest we all take what opportunities we have to drop mention of what this administration is doing in conversations? Conservatives are sure not hearing it from their chosen comfort media. Neither are those who blow it all off.

"Gee, it always been illegal for employers to know so they wouldn't fire people before they got sick or because their care is raising insurance costs." "Sounds kind of fascistic." "My health is my own business as long as I show up to work and do a good job." "This is scary. What comes next?"

Btw, the ACA is HUGE on privacy. Big penalties for anyone deliberately disclosing our health information without our permission.

[Skidmore]

16. I'll say it one more time.

They are culling the herd. It can't be plainer or more evil than this.

[moondust]

19. Is it corporate totalitarianism yet?