The “death panels” never materialized with the typical GOP conspiracy scare tactics, but they’ve blatantly placed into their health care package exactly the sort of thing reminiscent of “1984” / Photo credit: Mehmet Pinarci (Creative Commons licensed)
By Matthew A. McIntosh / 03.10.2017
Brewminate Editor-in-Chief
Donald Trump’s biographer, whose words were touted by Trump as “probably right” when asked about a racist statement referencing “those blacks counting my money” in Las Vegas, wrote something else that simply went overlooked when Trump was no more than a reality TV star:
The family subscribes to a racehorse theory of human development. They believe that there are superior people and that if you put together the genes of a superior woman and a superior man, you get a superior offspring.
That, my friends, is the very definition of eugenics, and it should surprise no one that Trump feels this way. His narcissism alone is enough to show that. It is rather odd that the GOP would nominate and elect this man given their constant claims about Margaret Sanger and their opposition to Planned Parenthood.
The health care package presented by Republicans to “repeal and replace” the ACA, what they call the AHA, would appeal to him.
H.R. 1313 now awaits a vote in the House that allows employers to require genetic information from employees. Yes, you read that right, genetic information. Allowing a sample to be taken and tested is still voluntary, but the employee is then penalized financially by paying thousands more for coverage than others.
This is a step beyond requirements for paying more when one makes life choices that put one’s health more at risk, such as smoking. This will allow employers to determine if the employee is at a higher risk of breast cancer, for example, something entirely beyond their control.
If the genetic information shows higher risks, the employee will be charged more for coverage. The employee is discriminated against and charged more for something that they did not do.
Since the passage of the ACA and even before, this type of testing and its use against the employee has not been allowed. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) specifically prevent employers from requiring genetic testing.
If H.R. 1313 passes and is signed by President Trump, that will come to an end and Orwell’s 1984 takes another step to reality.