U.S. military practices genetic discrimination in denying benefits

[rodeodance]

Source: latimes




U.S. military practices genetic discrimination in denying benefits

Those medically discharged with genetic diseases are left without disability or retirement benefits. Some are fighting back.

By Karen Kaplan
August 18, 2007



Eric Miller's career as an Army Ranger wasn't ended by a battlefield wound, but his DNA.

Lurking in his genes was a mutation that made him vulnerable to uncontrolled tumor growth. After suffering back pain during a tour in Afghanistan, he underwent three surgeries to remove tumors from his brain and spine that left him with numbness throughout the left side of his body.

So began his journey into a dreaded scenario of the genetic age.

Because he was born with the mutation, the Army argued it bore no responsibility for his illness and medically discharged him in 2005 without the disability benefits or health insurance he needed to fight his disease.


Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-sci-genes18aug18,1,4691293.story?coll=la-headlines-nation&ctrack=8&cset=true

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This type of discrimination has been warned about but I really have not keep up with what is going on in the insurance field related to this.