Could advances in gene technology reduce health insurance costs?

With a huge step in medical research being made in the past two years, DNA testing is now offered to the public by many companies across the country. The new examinations are readily available for around £495 and scan the whole human genome thanks to new computer processors which can now be found at the fingertips of leading researchers. The test, which can identify the likelihood of developing diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity and osteoporosis, is said to have increasing importance to medical insurance providers, and may reduce health insurance quotes if a person is less likely to develop a disease.

However some people are concerned that the opposite situation could also occur. A person who is found to have a higher chance of developing such a disease may be subject to a higher premium than they would do normally. Currently, the amount somebody pays for a private health insurance policy depends on factors such as age, sex and health but this could change with the possible integration of genetic information. Despite a possible increase in cost, people who find that they have a high probability of becoming ill may decide that they want to take out a health insurance policy to ensure they get the treatment they need if that day comes. Experts also have concerns about those who are told that they have a low risk of developing a disease as they may become complacent about their health.

Hereditary factors are not the only causes of getting illnesses such as cancer and heart disease meaning that people like Steve Jones, the genetics professor at London’s University College, are sceptical about the uses of such information for health insurance companies. He told the BBC, "The actual power of the individual gene to say anything about your own risk at the moment is actually very small."