Hacker News Reader

Comment by stuff4ben | Hacker News Reader

How long before that becomes a mandatory test to get health insurance? Or somehow the data is bought by insurers who then use it to jack up the rates for those who will eventually get cancer. God I hate the US healthcare system!

View on HN

Insurance companies haven't been allowed to deny coverage for preexisting conditions since 2014, due to Obamacare. They can't even raise premiums. The only variables are age, sex, smoking, and where you live.

This applies both to employer plans and the ACA plans on healthcare.gov, where you can get a quote without giving them any health data at all.

Is there anything stopping an employer from pretesting you to avoid adding a potentially expensive employee to their roster?

Generally it runs aground with things like the ADA because you can't just "accidentally" find out the person has a covered condition, you're just never allowed to ask or require it be told. Exceptions for something like an airline pilot on matters related to the job like sight notwithstanding. This is why you always see things like "can lift up to 40 lbs" type requirements instead.

But, you can get absolutely destroyed on life insurance and, just as critically, long-term care insurance. Genetic discrimination is perfectly legal in those domains.

You can be denied some kinds of health insurance : https://www.medicarefaq.com/faqs/can-you-be-denied-a-medicar...

Only if you miss the open enrollment period, and even then, you still have Medicare regardless.

It seems reasonable not to let people over 65 wait until they have cancer before purchasing supplemental insurance.

This is such an odd take for me. If the test works and insurance makes the test mandatory (which seems pretty unlikely, what other comparable tests are mandatory?) then more people will get an early diagnosis, and less people will die! The incentives are aligned, the system works!

Reply on news.ycombinator.com