[DapperButch]

It is ironic that I came across this thread today.

This afternoon I went to meet with a genetics counselor to determine if my colon cancer was a result of hereditary or based or due to environemental factors. Really I should have gotten this testing done prior to now, but knowing that my sister went and had a colonscopy, "just in case" after I was diagnosed, I wasn't as motivated as I could have been to get this done. I knew she was "safe" at this time, regardless to her possible genetic predispostion.

Anyway, the fact that I was 39 years old when diagnosed, plus my grandmother dying of colon cancer, points squarely towards heredity as the reason for my illness. I learned today that the usefulness of knowing if it is genetic is not just information for my sister and her children to have. It will also tell me how much of a greater chance I have of getting other cancers if indeed my cancer was genetic. Additionally, if my cancer was due to genes, I will be approved for certain cancer screenings that others my age/lack of symptoms would not be approved for (or something like that...).

Anyway, when the counselor was talking about confidentiality and discrimination, she told me of the change to where employers nor insurance companies can discriminate due to genetic markers for cancer (as Kobi's article states). However, long term care insurance, can discriminate based on this.

Last year I went through a long and somewhat arduous process of learning about long term care insurance in order to assist my mother in her decision about whether or not purchase it. Since she was paying the entire premium up front (rather than monthly), it was a big decision. Needless to say, she did get it and in the process, I decided that part of my retirement plan included purchasing this product 15-20 years from now.

Hearing that a long term care company could either deny me coverage or offer it to me at a hefty price IF genes were part of the reason for my cancer, gave me pause. I learned that I could find out if I have the genetic marker and choose to not pass this on to the long term care insurance company (but would be lying on any form I signed if this question was asked). However, in order to qualify for the early screenings I spoke of, I would have to get this information sent to my physicians. When long term care insurance will request my records before offering me a plan, they will read these records.

Isn't THAT a bitch? Anyway, I won't have to make a decision until after the testing. I will learn what I will be giving up (early/special screenings, and whatever else), by not sending documentation to my physicians that a long term care insurance company could access later.

So while there may be a new law where genetic information cannot be used in discrimination for jobs or insurance (fortunately), there is still discrimination allowed for long term care insurance.