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This bill amends provisions in the state newborn screening law pertaining to the use of residual dried blood spots for research. The bill states that a person conducting research on blood spots, other specimens, or registry data that is maintained by the health department must follow IRB processes for human research, which must include obtaining parent or guardian authorization. 4/16/2015 Signed by the Governor. Bill Status: Enacted

A person that conducts research on blood spots, other specimens, or registry data maintained by the health department must follow IRB processes for human subjects research, including obtaining parent or guardian authorization.

Health benefit plans covering small employers and group policies of hospital and medical insurance may not treat genetic information as a pre-existing condition in the absence of a diagnosis. A health status-related factor is defined to include genetic information in the chapter of the law pertaining to small employer employee health insurance.

This bill prohibits individual or group accident and sickness insurers from excluding coverage for the screening and diagnosis of autism, including genetic testing. Measure failed. Bill Status: Died

This bill creates the Ohio Health Benefit Exchange. The exchange must meet the minimum requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. Died. Bill Status: Died

Amends existing health insurance nondiscrimination law. The bill adds that accident and sickness insurers and public employee health benefit plans may not use information from genetic screening or testing to set premiums for, a policy or plan. Effective 6/30/2015. Bill Status: Enacted

A health insuring corporation may not (1) cancel or fail to renew the coverage because of any health status-related factor, including genetic information, (2) require an individual seeking coverage to submit to genetic screening or testing or taken into account or inquire about such testing, (3) make a decision adverse to the applicant based on entries in medical records or other reports of genetic screening or testing, or (4) cancel or refuse to issue or renew coverage for health care services based on the results of genetic screening or testing, or (6) limit benefits of an individual or group policy, contract, or agreement based on the results of genetic screening or testing. A violation of these provisions is an unfair and deceptive act or practice in the business of insurance. Further provisions apply upon the repeal of the current protections, which are in effect until February 9, 2014.

It is an unfair and deceptive act or practice in the business of insurance to engage in any underwriting standard or other practice that due solely to any health status-related factor, including genetic information, terminates or fails to renew an existing individual policy, contract, plan of health benefits, or a health benefit plan issued to an employer, for which an individual would otherwise be eligible, or, with respect to a health benefit plan issued to an employer, excludes or causes the exclusion of an individual from coverage under an existing employer-provided policy, contract, or plan of health benefits. Insurers issuing accident and sickness insurance, self-insurers or public employee health benefit plans may not consider information obtained from genetic screening or testing in processing an application or in determining insurability or inquire into the results of genetic screening or testing or use such information to cancel, refuse to issue or renew, or limit benefits. The superintendent of insurance has the authority to investigate violations of this provision.

This bill requires individual and group health insurers that provide coverage on an expense-incurred basis to provide reimbursement not to exceed $115 for mammography screening any female under 35 with a genetic predisposition to breast cancer. Measure failed. Bill Status: Died

This bill requires parental consent required to store, transfer, use or database DNA from any newborn child. Signed by the Governor May 11, 2010. Bill Status: Enacted