23andMe raises $50M, cuts price to $99, sets goal of 1M genotyped customers

Re:23andMe raises $50M, cuts price to $99, sets goal of 1M g... by jellicle on Tuesday December 11, 2012 @02:18PM (#4906224)

Note that it doesn't prevent discrimination for life insurance, disability insurance or long-term care insurance; if you get a dangerous condition in your DNA testing you'll never get any of those types of insurance again.

Also note the limitations are not very comprehensive. Health insurers could use genetic info and then find ways to deny you coverage on a technicality (didn't disclose tonsilitis at age 4 - DENIED). There's no civil remedy in the law so it would be up to you to petition the Federal government to carry out some sort of enforcement action against insurers, which seems less than likely.

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Re:23andMe raises $50M, cuts price to $99, sets goal of 1M g... by apaprocki on Tuesday December 11, 2012 @02:27PM (#4906288)

The coverage for life/disability/long-term on a state-by-state basis is here:

http://www.ncsl.org/issues-research/health/genetic-nondiscri...

While it isn't covered by law in all states (yet), my state restricts discrimination for life/disability and requires informed consent to use genetic information.

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Re:23andMe raises $50M, cuts price to $99, sets goal of 1M g... by MichaelSalib on Tuesday December 11, 2012 @02:21PM (#4906244)

Health insurers could use genetic info and then find ways to deny you coverage on a technicality

How could that work once the Affordable Care Act goes into effect? It requires Guaranteed Issue, so insurers can't do that. Insurers have to accept anyone who requests their plan and they can only vary premiums based on age, location, and smoking.

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