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February 8, 2000

PRESIDENT CALLS ON CONGRESS TO PROTECT THE PRIVATE GENETIC INFORMATION OF ALL AMERICANS.  

Today, President Clinton will endorse the Genetic Nondiscrimination in Health Insurance & Employment Act of 1999, introduced by Senator Daschle and Congresswoman Slaughter. This bill would extend the protections for genetic information included in the President’s executive order to the private sector. In 1996, the President signed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which prevents group health insurers from using genetic information to deny individuals health insurance benefits. The Daschle-Slaughter legislation finishes the job begun by HIPAA by ensureing that genetic information used to help predict, prevent, and treat diseases will not also be used to discriminate against Americans seeking employment, promotion, or health insurance.

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