title: Genetic testing for Alzheimer's disease and its impact on insurance purchasing behavior.
abstract: New genetic tests for adult-onset diseases raise concerns about possible adverse selection in insurance markets. To test for this behavior, we followed 148 cognitively normal people participating in a randomized clinical trial of genetic testing for Alzheimer's disease for one year after risk assessment and Apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype disclosure. Although no significant differences were found in health, life, or disability insurance purchases, those who tested positive were 5.76 times more likely to have altered their long-term care insurance than those who did not receive APOE genotype disclosure. If genetic testing for Alzheimer's risk assessment becomes common, it could trigger adverse selection in long-term care insurance.
authors.affiliation: University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA. zick@fcs.utah.edu
authors.forename: Cathleen D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Zick
authors.forename: Charles J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Mathews
authors.forename: J Scott
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cook-Deegan
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Pokorski
authors.forename: Robert C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Green
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics; D003219:Confidentiality; D005260:Female; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007353:Insurance, Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E