Under what circumstances may a health insurer charge a higher premium to a woman with a genetic disposition to breast cancer? a) Her mother has breast cancer but she doesn't. b) She has breast cancer. c) Her sister has breast cancer but she doesn't. d) Health insurers can never discriminate based on genetic information in this way.
Under the current laws and regulations in many countries, including the United States, health insurers are generally prohibited from charging higher premiums to individuals based on their genetic information or genetic predispositions. This practice is known as genetic discrimination and is meant to protect individuals from being unfairly treated by insurers due to their genetic makeup.
In the specific scenarios you mentioned:
a) If a woman's mother has breast cancer but she does not, it is not considered a valid reason for a health insurer to charge her a higher premium. Genetic information about her mother's health should not be used to determine her insurance rates.
b) If a woman already has breast cancer, it could potentially impact her health insurance premiums. However, it would not be based solely on her genetic disposition but rather on her current health condition.
c) If a woman's sister has breast cancer but she does not, again, it should not be a valid reason for a health insurer to charge her a higher premium based on genetic information.
d) The correct answer is d) Health insurers can never discriminate based on genetic information in this way. In many countries, laws like the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) in the United States and similar regulations in other nations prohibit such discrimination by health insurers.
It's important to note that the laws and regulations around genetic discrimination may vary across different jurisdictions. Therefore, it is essential to consult with the specific laws in your country or region to fully understand the protections and provisions in place.