Session of 1998
                   
HOUSE BILL No. 2734
         
By Representative Garner
         
1-27
            9             AN ACT relating to insurance; concerning genetic screening or testing
10             for certain insurance; amending K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 40-2259 and re-
11             pealing the existing section.
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13       Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
14           Section 1. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 40-2259 is hereby amended to read as
15       follows: 40-2259. (a) As used in this section, ``genetic screening or testing''
16       means a laboratory test of a person's genes or chromosomes for abnor-
17       malities, defects or deficiencies, including carrier status, that are linked
18       to physical or mental disorders or impairments, or that indicate a suscep-
19       tibility to illness, disease or other disorders, whether physical or mental,
20       which test is a direct test for abnormalities, defects or deficiencies, and
21       not an indirect manifestation of genetic disorders.
22           (b) An insurance company, health maintenance organization, non-
23       profit medical and hospital, dental, optometric or pharmacy corporations,
24       or a group subject to K.S.A. 12-2616 et seq., and amendments thereto,
25       shall not:
26           (1) Require or request directly or indirectly any individual or a mem-
27       ber of the individual's family to obtain a genetic test;
28           (2) require or request directly or indirectly any individual to reveal
29       whether the individual or a member of the individual's family has ob-
30       tained a genetic test or the results of the test, if obtained by the individual
31       or a member of the individual's family;
32           (3) condition the provision of insurance coverage or health care ben-
33       efits on whether an individual or a member of the individual's family has
34       obtained a genetic test or the results of the test, if obtained by the indi-
35       vidual or a member of the individual's family; or
36           (4) consider in the determination of rates or any other aspect of in-
37       surance coverage or health care benefits provided to an individual
38       whether an individual or a member of the individual's family has obtained
39       a genetic test or the results of the test, if obtained by the individual or a
40       member of the individual's family.
41           (c) Subsection (b) does not apply to an insurer writing life insurance,
42       disability income insurance or long-term care insurance coverage.
43           (d) An insurer writing life insurance, disability income insurance or

HB 2734

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  1       long-term care insurance coverage that obtains information under para-
  2       graphs (1) or (2) of subsection (b), shall not:
  3           (1) Use the information contrary to paragraphs (3) or (4) of subsec-
  4       tion (b) in writing a type of insurance coverage other than life for the
  5       individual or a member of the individual's family; or
  6           (2) provide for rates or any other aspect of coverage that is not rea-
  7       sonably related to the risk involved.
  8           Sec. 2. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 40-2259 is hereby repealed.
  9           Sec. 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
10       publication in the statute book.
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