Prohibits the use of genetic information for purposes of determining eligibility, setting premium rates, or imposing preexisting condition exclusions for life insurance, disability insurance, or long-term care insurance.

Rhode Island Bill: Protecting Genetic Information in Insurance Decisions

This bill would prevent life insurance, disability insurance, and long-term care insurance companies from using a person's genetic information when deciding whether to cover them, how much to charge them, or whether to exclude coverage for pre-existing conditions. In other words, if you've taken a genetic test — whether through a doctor or a consumer service like 23andMe — insurers could not use those results against you when making coverage or pricing decisions.

The bill would affect Rhode Island residents who apply for or currently hold life, disability, or long-term care insurance policies. It would also place new restrictions on insurance companies operating in the state. Under this bill, a person could not be denied coverage, charged higher premiums, or have certain conditions excluded from their policy simply because their genetic profile suggests they may be at higher risk for a disease or health condition in the future.

It's worth noting that federal law already provides some genetic privacy protections through a law called GINA (Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act), but GINA only covers health insurance and employment — it does not cover life, disability, or long-term care insurance. This Rhode Island bill would fill that gap at the state level, extending similar protections to those additional insurance types. The bill has been introduced and sent to the Senate Commerce Committee for review.