Ethical Implications of Genetic Testing in Insurance: A Case Study Analysis, Assignments of Accounting

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Case Study: Insurance and Genetically Inherited Diseases Heather Lash DeVry University Professional Ethics for Accountants ACCT Professor Monica Hubler April 7, 2024

Case Study: Insurance and Genetically Inherited Diseases Introduction Insurance is very important in society because it helps protect people's money when unexpected things happen. But the new thing of testing our genes brings difficult questions about what is right and laws. Diseases that come from genes and are not something a person can control can make the risk they carry go up. This affects how much they pay for insurance and what kind of protection they get. Ethical Implications When individuals carry greater risk, it often leads to increased insurance costs, which helps safeguard the company's finances. However, ethical dilemmas arise when such risks are associated with genetic illnesses. This could be seen as a form of discrimination, since it causes the price of insurance to become too costly for those who are considered high risk. Because of so many issues happening, this might lead to people being hesitant about receiving genetic testing due to concerns over increased costs in their insurance. Responsibility of Insurance Companies Customers who must share their health details or go through medical check help insurance businesses figure out the level of risk precisely. But this way of doing things can create worries

Case Examples The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission brought a legal case against BNSF Railroad for conducting private genetic tests on its workers to find out if they have an uncommon gene linked to carpal tunnel syndrome, which is known for causing this condition among other signs. BNSF stated that they carried out the testing to find out if the employees' many repetitive-stress injuries related to their jobs. In another case that was documented, when genetic exams showed that a young boy carried Fragile X Syndrome, which is passed down in families and can cause intellectual disability, the insurance provider for this child's family stopped his health insurance by stating the condition existed before. The last case example is Dollar General Stores, Inc. They faced accusations for not considering job seekers with health issues, even when these conditions would not impact their work abilities. Genetic testing for uncommon illnesses 80 percent of these diseases come from genetic factors. This might involve one or multiple genes, or it could be about irregularities in chromosomes. The disease often impacts whole families or people from the same ethnic background because it is passed down through genes. Conclusion These examples show the possibility of genetic discrimination in different areas, like work and insurance. They emphasize how important it is to have laws and rules that defend people against this kind of unfair treatment. The crossroad between insurance and diseases passed through

genes is complicated. It needs thoughtful thinking and a level-headed strategy. It’s important to have clearness, be fair, and strong laws to stop unfair treatment so that everyone can get insurance at a good price no matter their genetic risks. Resources:

• Brooks, L. J., & Dunn, P. (2023). Business and Professional Ethics (9th ed.). Cengage Learning US. https://devry.vitalsource.com/books/
• U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (2008). Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008.
• National Institutes of Health. (n.d.). Genetic Testing for Rare Diseases.
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (n.d.). Ethical Considerations in Genetic Screening and Testing.
• Society of Actuaries. (n.d.). Insurance Policies and Genetics.
• Joly, Y., Ngueng Feze, I., & Simard, J. (2013). Genetic discrimination and life insurance: a systematic review of the evidence. BMC Medicine, 11, 25. https://doi.org/10.1186/1741-7015-11-