GENETIC INFORMATION PRIVACY
SB0250 amends the Illinois Genetic Information Privacy Act to expand protections against the use of genetic information in insurance underwriting. The bill removes an existing exemption for insurers issuing long-term care policies and states that, for policies, contracts, or plans issued, renewed, amended, or entered into on or after January 1, 2026, health insurers, life insurers, and long-term care insurers may not cancel, limit, or deny coverage, or vary premium rates, based on a person’s genetic information. It also bars insurers from requiring, soliciting, or using an individual’s genetic information or genetic test results for any insurance purpose.
At the same time, the bill preserves certain insurer access to medical records. It clarifies that life insurers and long-term care insurers may still review an applicant’s medical record as part of an application exam, and may consider a medical diagnosis contained in that record even if the diagnosis is based on genetic testing. The bill is effective July 1, 2025, while the new insurance-coverage restrictions apply to policies beginning January 1, 2026.
The bill would amend Section 20 of the Genetic Information Privacy Act, narrowing the long-term care insurance exemption and extending anti-discrimination rules to health, life, and long-term care insurers authorized in Illinois. It would prohibit insurers from using genetic information in underwriting decisions, premium setting, coverage determinations, and other insurance-related actions for applicable policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026. It also leaves intact limited insurer access to medical records and diagnoses, creating a boundary between prohibited use of genetic test information and permissible use of ordinary medical diagnoses.
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes in the provided materials, the measure appears to be framed as a consumer-protection and privacy bill with a generally protective posture toward applicants and policyholders. The sponsor’s approach suggests support for stronger limits on genetic discrimination in insurance, especially for long-term care coverage. No opposing arguments are documented in the supplied record, so the overall sentiment cannot be assessed from debate or roll-call history.
The main point of potential contention is the balance between privacy protections and insurer underwriting authority. Consumer advocates would likely favor the bill’s ban on using genetic information to deny coverage or set rates, while insurers may object to losing access to information they may view as relevant to risk assessment, particularly in life and long-term care underwriting. The bill attempts to address that concern by preserving access to medical records and diagnoses, including diagnoses derived from genetic tests, which may be a compromise point for insurers.