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Florida Bill Moves Ahead

A bill in Florida to prohibit life and long-term care insurers from using genetic information in their coverage decisions has easily gained supporters, News 4 Jax reports.

Chris Sprowls, the incoming Republican speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, has introduced a bill to close what he calls a "massive loophole." Federal law prevents health insurance companies from using genetic information in their policy coverage decisions, but that prohibition does not extend to life, long-term care, or disability insurance companies. He says his bill would prevent those types of insurance companies from using genetic data in their coverage decisions as well.

News 4 Jax reports that the Florida House Health & Human Services Committee passed the bill without any debate and that it has received the support of Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis. "As DNA testing becomes more popular through companies like 23andMe and AncestryDNA, we must ensure that your genetic code is not used against you," Patronis says in a statement, according to News 4 Jax.

It adds that the bill has to pass the Commerce Committee before going before the full House.

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