GINA in the New York Times

Today's New York Times features an article about the newly released Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act (GINA) regulations that will be in effect next weekend.

From the Times article:

"The biggest change resulting from the law is that it will — except in a few circumstances — prohibit employers and health insurers from asking employees to give their family medical histories. The law also bans group health plans from the common practice of rewarding workers, often with lower premiums or one-time payments, if they give their family medical histories when completing health risk questionnaires."

The act takes effect Nov. 21 for all employers with 15 or more employees. It applies to group health insurers whose plan years begin on or after Dec. 7, and it took effect for individual health insurance plans last May. The act does not apply to life insurers.

Read the complete article by clicking here.

New GINA Rules Impose Restrictions on HRAs

On October 1st, the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and the Treasury jointly released an advanced copy of the interim final regulations on the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act. The interim final regulations were posted to the Federal Register on October 7th and clarify several aspects of GINA as it relates to health risk assessments.

The rules become effective December 7th, 2009. GINA’s provisions for group health plans are effective for plan years beginning on or after May 21, 2009. Thus, the effective date for calendar year plans is Jan. 1, 2010.

Read the rest of this story at: http://ebn.benefitnews.com/news/new-gina-rules-impose-restrictions-on-health-risk-assessments-2682139-1.html