Can Post-Mortem DNA Testing Affect Your Children’s Ability to Get Health Insurance?

No – post-mortem DNA testing has no adverse effect on your children’s ability to get insurance. 

One of the drawbacks of DNA and ancestry testing programs is the possibility that the results may be used by insurance companies and employers to discriminate based upon adverse test results.  DNA testing results identify pre-existing medical conditions and the results of such tests must be disclosed if you are asked. 

However, you do not need to worry about your children being discriminated against because of the results of your post-mortem DNA testing.  Your children are not required to disclose your test results to insurance companies or employers and the results are not your children’s pre-existing condition. 

Current Federal law allows employers with less than 15 employees to refuse employment based upon pre-existing medical conditions.  It also allows disability, long-term healthcare, and life insurance companies to charge higher rates, or refuse to provide coverage, based upon the results of DNA testing.  

ObamaCare prohibits health insurance companies from discriminating based upon DNA testing.  However, the validity of ObamaCare is currently under review at the United States Supreme Court and may not survive the many legal challenges. 

So, while there are valid reasons to avoid DNA testing while alive, you can provide much of the benefit to your children on a post-mortem basis without hurting their ability to obtain insurance or employment.