House Republicans would let employers demand workers’ genetic test results

[Guest]

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/house-republicans-let-employers-demand-workers-genetic-test-results/#.WMXOSFSa0go.facebook

A little-noticed bill moving through Congress would allow companies to require employees to undergo genetic testing or risk paying a penalty of thousands of dollars, and would let employers see that genetic and other health information. '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

The bill, HR 1313, was approved by a House committee on Wednesday, with all 22 Republicans supporting it and all 17 Democrats opposed. It has been overshadowed by the debate over the House GOP proposal to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, but the genetic testing bill is expected to be folded into a second ACA-related measure containing a grab-bag of provisions that do not affect federal spending, as the main bill does.

[Logan]

The bill was already posted in its entirety in another thread and doesn't say anything like that. 

[Guest]

from the text of the bill............

(b) Collection Of Information.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the collection of information about the manifested disease or disorder of a family member shall not be considered an unlawful acquisition of genetic information with respect to another family member as part of a workplace wellness program described in paragraph (1) or (2) offered by an employer (or in conjunction with an employer-sponsored health plan described in section 2705(j) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg–4(j))) and shall not violate title I or title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–233). For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term “family member” has the meaning given such term in section 201 of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (Public Law 110–233).

(c) Rule Of Construction.—Nothing in subsection (a)(1)(A) shall be construed to prevent an employer that is offering a wellness program to an employee from requiring such employee, within 45 days from the date the employee first has an opportunity to earn a reward, to request a reasonable alternative standard (or waiver of the otherwise applicable standard). Nothing in subsection (a)(1)(A) shall be construed to prevent an employer from imposing a reasonable time period, based upon all the facts and circumstances, during which the employee must complete the reasonable alternative standard. Such a reasonable alternative standard (or waiver of the otherwise applicable standard) is provided for in section 2705(j)(3)(D) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300 gg–4(j)(3)(D)) (and any regulations promulgated with respect to such section by the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, or the Secretary of the Treasury).

[MorningGlory]

1 hour ago, JaniceR said:

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/house-republicans-let-employers-demand-workers-genetic-test-results/#.WMXOSFSa0go.facebook

A little-noticed bill moving through Congress would allow companies to require employees to undergo genetic testing or risk paying a penalty of thousands of dollars, and would let employers see that genetic and other health information. '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

The bill, HR 1313, was approved by a House committee on Wednesday, with all 22 Republicans supporting it and all 17 Democrats opposed. It has been overshadowed by the debate over the House GOP proposal to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, but the genetic testing bill is expected to be folded into a second ACA-related measure containing a grab-bag of provisions that do not affect federal spending, as the main bill does.

The Snopes report on this has been posted by one of the mods and the last thread on it locked. this is reprinted from STAT news, the exact same source as the other thread. This is fake, fake, fake and I sincerely hope this thread is locked as well.  Google House bill HR 1313 and read it for yourself.  I already posted it in the locked thread.  This is a conspiracy theory.

[MorningGlory]

1 hour ago, Abby-Joy said:

Time will tell... these things have a way of getting a foot in the door. 

But time won't make this CT true, Abby.  Nor will reposting it.

[MorningGlory]

7 minutes ago, Abby-Joy said:

I am not the one who posted this topic, MG ...

Not this one; you posted the other one.

[Guest]

13 minutes ago, MorningGlory said:

But time won't make this CT true, Abby.  Nor will reposting it.

I posted text from the bill from the government website. The story is appearing on several news sites. 

[MorningGlory]

10 minutes ago, JaniceR said:

I posted text from the bill from the government website. The story is appearing on several news sites. 

Yes, FAKE news sites.  Here is the Snopes breakdown in case you missed it the first time since this same topic was posted two days ago.  And you can go to House.gov and read it for yourself.  It's just NOT true.  From the Snopes article:

On 8 March 2017, the House Committee on Education and and the Workforce moved forward with a bill that has been criticized by both geneticists and disability advocates for allegedly placing the privacy of workers’ genetic records at risk.

H.R. 1313 states that employers may provide additional insurance premium discounts to workers who take part in their companies’VOLUNTARY wellness programs. Once enrolled, the bill says, businesses are allowed to collect “information about the manifested disease or disorder of a family member” of participating employees.

http://www.snopes.com/genetic-testing-bill/

[MorningGlory]

3 minutes ago, Abby-Joy said:

I sure did, but I did not repost it.... just to be clear.  Thanks.  Debates and arguments are not my thing, you know that. 

And that's fine, Abby.  There is no requirement for anyone to argue or debate.  I just like to keep it real.

[Guest]

1 minute ago, MorningGlory said:

Yes, FAKE news sites.  Here is the Snopes breakdown in case you missed it the first time since this same topic was posted two days ago.  And you can go to House.gov and read it for yourself.  It's just NOT true.

http://www.snopes.com/genetic-testing-bill/

I'm not going to argue either. I posted the text from the actual Bill. If that is not good enough for you..oh well. Time will tell.

Here's one from foxnews. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/03/11/gop-sponsored-bill-may-help-companies-obtain-your-genetic-information.html

The New York Times reported Friday that the bill-- called the Preserving Employee Wellness Programs Act--  may also significantly increase the costs if someone chooses not to participate in a company wellness program that requires the genetic information.

Fortune magazine summed up the bill: it “would essentially allow companies with workplace wellness programs to demand your genetic information (or force you to pay a big penalty.)”