[ExI] 23andSingularity

[spike]

>... On Behalf Of Rafal Smigrodzki
Subject: Re: [ExI] 23andSingularity

On Sun, Jul 7, 2013 at 10:48 AM, spike <spike at rainier66.com> wrote:
>
>>... Ja, so here's my idea, a remarkably simple one.  23andMe has all these

> genetic profiles which they sell to medical insurance companies which 
> allow the companies to cherry pick the most profitable profiles, even 
> to include some clients which never had their DNA tested... A new industry
can emerge here.  spike

>...### The use of genetic information for insurance purposes is already
illegal in the US. For some reasons, the current crop of leftists despise
genetics, and I expect that they will expend a considerable amount of effort
to thwart the activities you describe above... Rafal

OK so let me express a related idea.  Rafal, since you are a doctor, you
have already forgotten more about Obama-care than I will ever know, but as I
understand it, proles are required to either purchase health insurance or
pay a fine.  If you choose to go the pay-the-fine route, you still don't
have health insurance.  For the young and healthy crowd, it is likely better
to go ahead and pay the fine, and accept the risk, however there is another
possibility here.

Suppose there was a business such as 23andMe, which one can submit DNA
samples anonymously (you aren't required to tell 23 who you are.)  Then you
find out if there are any known genetic markers which would compel you to
buy health insurance.  If not, pay the fine.  If so, buy the
government-sponsored health insurance.  I can even imagine some
crowd-sourced science based research group which would review your 23
results and advise you on what are your risks and how much it is likely to
cost if you get the condition for which you have one or two markers, then
advise you whether you should pay the fine or buy the insurance.

If this becomes popular, I can easily imagine 23andMe will be shut down by
some bogus IRS raid.

If some advisory group were to form, good chance the IRS would find out and
raid it.  If we argue there is no law against advising proles on their
health risks from their DNA profile, that doesn't actually matter with the
IRS: the rules don't apply to that outfit.

spike