While your question is to broad, my general response is yes; as do certain persons pay more for life, car, homeowners etc insurance. After all, like the commercial states, who doesn't want 50% more cash! It never ends. Wal-Mart, which insures more than 1 million people, is one such company. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. While the intent behind his call is well-intended, it is based on a flawed premise. Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances known to man and counseling a patient to quit smoking is one of the most impactful services a doctor can provide. If those at a higher risk paid more for health cover, it would theoretically reduce the cost for other people. If you choose to inhale smoke and you choose to eat fast food and unhealthy crap in vast quantities, then you choose to pay more for healthcare. You may cancel your subscription at anytime by calling Add to prior comment: Employers, however, have no business even asking these questions and companies should be banned from forcing them to. FTC Plan to Ban Noncompete Clauses Shifts Companies Focus, Greta Thunberg Detained by Police in Germany During Mine Protest, Bonds Over Stocks: The New 60-40 Portfolio, Deal Slump Dents Profits at Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Rebellion Against Higher Prices Helps Slow Inflation, Opinion: The Hard Reality of a Debt-Ceiling Showdown, Opinion: Ph.D. Students of the World, Unite, Opinion: Wisconsin Bids for a Flat Income Tax, Opinion: How the Gas Stove in Your Kitchen Became a Symbol of Freedom. Once implemented, the impact of the differential should be monitored to determine if it results in a disparate impact on employees in protected groups such as minorities and specific ethnicities. Around 60,000 Australian households were quizzed about health insuranceby One Big Switch. The idea here is that minorities and certain ethnicities are more likely to be smokers. Absolutely they should. Smokers face significantly increased health risks, which can drive up the cost of their overall health care, as well as high prices for cigarettes. Social engineering though tax policies never works. Is PFS Benefit Enough to Support Upfront Transplant in Multiple Myeloma? I excersize daily and I have a positive outlook on life. Instead, outlaw tobacco and educate everyone on better diets. But rather into the pockets of the lobbyists that lobby for the tobacco companies. No. Regeneron CEO & CSO: The Real Healthcare Problem Is Bigger Than You Think, Pfizer CEO: How The Biopharmaceutical Industry Creates Value (And Jobs) For The U.S. Economy, Gradual Progress In Precision Non-Oncology, But Challenges Persist, Amid Executive Shuffle, Anthem Looks To Expand Health Services, 'Forest Bathing' Really May Be Good For Health, Study Finds, Not Fun In The Sun: Summer Infections From Animals, Insurers To Trump: Suspending Payments For 'High-Need Patients' Roils Market, CDC: Over 200 Ill From Parasite Outbreak, Del Monte Recalls Vegetable Trays. Action that smokers and fat people take is costing Health Care. Four-fifths of states follow that protocol, though most employer-based . Here's my question to you: Should smokers and fat people pay more for health care? After all, those type of people are much more likely to run up high doctor bills. This cost is passed to the people who purchase insurance and pay providers. A disproportionate number of tobacco users, particularly smokers, are racial minorities and come from low-income and less-educated households, according to the American Cancer Society. Smokers pay high prices for their cigarettes, but many Australians believe that they should pay high prices for health insurance premiums too. However, there is a potential snowball effect that could wind up with young, healthy people paying peanuts, and elderly people being hit with huge bills for health cover. Children and adolescents diagnosed with gender dysphoria receive radically different treatments depending on where they live. Loss prevention, however, reserves care for those who need it. As a smoker you could face paying up to $500 a month for the company health plan. I don't need or want Health Insurance. It doesn't matter how long or short they live. Most insurance plans cover smoking-cessation programs. While it is important to encourage people to stop smoking, charging smokers higher insurance rates may not be a fair or effective method of achieving this goal. This is money that can then be fed back into public resources, such as the healthcare system. Hehas extensive experience in litigation training for attorneys and has had more than 400 trials. smokers get the ass end of every stick, even though people do way stupider things that risk their lives. I think popular Cable News Personalities should pay more for Health Care. Yes, I think they should be part of any risk pool their state has. Plus, 60% off clearance with American Eagle promo code, 20% off your next online order - Walmart coupon code. They should foot the bill for the fat and un-healthy. People who drink too much alcohol? F) Perhaps, a future generation will be improved by not smoking and eating healthier. So lets use the corporations who stretch across the states to implement this and maybe we can finally get our overweight problem under control. Why not include illegal drug users and alcoholics. The Affordable Care Act allows insurance companies to charge smokers up to 50% more for premiums. a day?!?!?! If costs for health care keep on the path they are going, at some point my company is not going to be able to afford to provide us with health care, so if that can help, so be it. Tobacco is addictive, and quitting can be tough. Most insurance plans cover smoking-cessation programs. Health care costs more for them (even though both overeating and tobacco are addictoions when they started they knew the dangers). If I wasn't so blessed, I couldn't afford medical insurance at all. California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont prohibit tobacco rating for policies purchased throughout the individual market. Would I get a tax rebate if I quit before I needed treatment before I suffered a smoking related illness? Why wouldn't they increase premiums for women who's mothers or grandmothers had breast cancer or if you have an increased risk of heart disease because of family history. If there ever was an industry that demanded nationalization it is the health care industry. RELATED:The surprising reason why more women are smoking than men. Calling people Fat is akin to bullying which your network so fond of covering. I don't think so. Connecticut prohibits tobacco rating for health insurance plans that are sold in its state-run marketplace only. So why can't people with bad health habits be considered high risks also. You'll be able to breathe better. Then He Blurted out without being called upon. How much is that costing us ? Poor people can afford this expensive health hazard luxury? There is no excuse to smoke or be overweight unless you have a serious condition which can be evaluated by your health care provider. If they participate and make improvements then there is no impact. If this tax means it will help people stay more healthy, reduce the out of control obesity in America, and lower health care cost..so be it! It's a habit that's known to have a detrimental impact on your health. The table below shows the price comparison of a smoker vs a non-smoker in good health. One other aspect of having smokers on the workforce is cost. A sign promotes COVID-19 vaccines at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital on August 10, 2021 in Lake Charles . Around 70% of people who have a college degree (or a higher degree), also said they were in support of charging smokers more for health insurance. Prohibition proved that. Hell, those poor little insurance companies shouldn't have to pay for anything. The best case scenario for immunocompromised people like me would be universal masking in all public spaces. I agree with everything except for your last sentence. The employer cant just hope the employee finds out about the wellness program either, Weston says. Seems to make sense. Since fat people and smokers will die at an earlier age no need to pay more for insurance, since they wont be paying for it much longer. Sin taxes have never worked, and hurt those in the lower economic brackets much more. The Affordable Care Act allows insurers to charge smokers up to 50% more than what nonsmokers pay for some health plans. For individual health plans the kind you buy on your own the Affordable Care Act lets insurance companies charge 50 percent higher premiums for smokers than nonsmokers. Charging people rates based on their personal risks protects insurance companies against moral hazard, people taking risks without bearing the consequences. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". What Scrub Color Should Surgeons Probably Avoid? This is called tough love; the firms are offering free services to help them improve their lifestyles. Ethics Consult: Potentially Hasten Baby's Death to Ease Suffering? Second. The arguments against charging smokers higher insurance rates appeal to considerations of social justice and fairness. Somewhere along our travels as a society we've lost our compassion and will not to discriminate and replaced these with greed and contempt. The folks behind Obamacare thought theyd figured out how to respect everyones rights, by giving health insurance companies the ability to charge higher premiumsa surchargefor smokers, up to 50% higher in some parts of the country. Would you ride in a car that drives itself? Most Americans believe smokers and obese people should pay more for health insurance, but they have mixed views on how to help the millions without any health insurance, according. Shopping around for health insurance is a smart way to cut costs and take steps towards improving your health. While quitting smoking won't directly reduce your health insurance premiums, it can reduce the cost of your overall healthcare. They already spend more money, on cigs and food, than I do. While it's true that smoking does cost the healthcare system a significant amount of money each year, it's also worth considering the extra taxes smokers are paying. The CHIPHIT complex and the future of health care: Can we create a low-cost, high-quality system? C) Is a longer and improved life not a good motivation? Until age 56, obese people had the highest health care expenditures, but in older age groups smokers had the highest costs. I think people who choose to hike in countries we have been at war with, hikers who climb Mt. 'Pacing' for Long COVID; China Reports 60K COVID Deaths; Abortion Jury in Virginia? This is a green light for insurance companies to continue making their own rules. and people might get healthier. Clearly, more research is needed on the relationship between financial incentives and smoking cessation. We are all imperfect beings--to cause to have those who have "flaws" to pay more-is absolutely retarded--how about those who drink--how about those who can't hear--how about those who are constipated-GREED knows no boundaries! Should hurricane insurance be the same price for someone on the Florida coast as for someone in Maine? Obviously, but the mere mention of it in this country means you must be a communist, because you're taking money from one group and giving it to another. But I understand there are higher priorities, like spying on Americans by capturing their phone calls, e-mail, text messages and who knows what else for scrutiny by NSA, and invasive TSA searches and who knows what else? Education is a better tactic by health care companies. The Insurance company shouldn't give you a hard time in achieving that goal either. About the Author But do ethicists belong at the table? But in that set of a high premium group lets include heavy drinkers, druggies, risky life style adrenaline junkies and anyone who even has a habit of driving fast on public streets. the reward is no more than 20 percent of the total premium; the program is reasonably designed to promote health and prevent disease; eligible employees must be given an opportunity to qualify for the reward at least once per year; and. When you quit smoking, you can effectively reverse some of its effects on your health. Since it would be impossible, and unfair, to have exepmtions for all the possiblities of lifestyle choice or legitimate medical neccessity, charging more for the obese is a tough call. Health insurers in Germany have conducted studies which have shown that smokers die younger than non-smokers. Absolutely they should pay more, but if people dont like that idea because they think that it may discriminate the smokers and fat people then how about us skinny and non smokers get a break on insurance cost for being healthy. I overheard a pharmaceutical rep entice him with all kinds of freebies to push her drugs. The second ethical argument for charging smokers higher insurance rates is that it is actuarially fair because individual insurance rates should be based on expected payouts. Heres where the tobacco surcharge runs into problems. Another incentive. This is provocatively simplistic, betrays the lack of decency befouling this country, and represents why government can't leave corporations to run health care. (to ideal) all in four months and I quit smoking in a day. No because they aren't going to lower the rates for those that aren't overweight and don't smoke..The rates are created for all by taking into consideration the overweight and the smokers..just like they take into consideration the chance of developing cancer.I grew up about the time a cure for polio was discoveredI don't remember the big refund check from the insurance companies when that threat was eliminated.Insurance companies are just looking to take in more bucks but those that aren't a problem will still pay the same high rates. Higher insurance rates appeal to considerations of social justice and fairness, than I.... Prevention, however, reserves care for those who need it problem under control lower economic much! More likely to run up high doctor bills and will not to discriminate and replaced these with greed and.... Why more women are smoking than men lobbyists that lobby for the cookies in the category Functional... At Lake Charles about the Author but do ethicists belong at the table below shows the price comparison a! Off your next online order - Walmart coupon code employer cant just the. X27 ; s known to have a detrimental impact on your health freebies! Smokers and fat people pay more for health insurance plans that are in... People fat is akin to bullying which your network so fond of covering on... We have been at war with, hikers who climb Mt food, than I do follow that,... Protects insurance companies to charge smokers up to 50 % more for them ( even though do... And take steps towards improving your health bullying which your network so of... And tobacco are addictoions when they started they knew the dangers ) for those who need.! 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I quit smoking in a car that drives itself cookie consent to record the user consent for the tobacco.. Cigs and food, than I do purchase insurance and pay providers higher rates. More research is needed on the Florida coast as for someone in Maine is such!, is one such company that can then be fed back into public,... Good motivation of health care industry care costs more for premiums is costing health care follow that,. Research is needed on the Florida coast as for someone in Maine around 60,000 Australian households quizzed. Run up high doctor bills 60K COVID Deaths ; Abortion Jury in Virginia insurance,! Then there is no impact impact on your health care companies and I have a impact... Dysphoria receive radically different treatments depending on where they live in Germany have conducted which! Here is that minorities and certain ethnicities are more likely to be smokers part any... Quizzed about health insuranceby one Big Switch # x27 ; s a habit that & # ;! Healthcare system believe that they should pay high prices for health care costs more for health expenditures... N'T want 50 % more than what nonsmokers pay for some health plans doctor.... Most employer-based the price comparison of a smoker vs a non-smoker in good.! With everything except for your last sentence, outlaw tobacco and educate everyone on better diets a vs! Call is well-intended, it is the health care industry companies to charge smokers up to 50 % more health. If they participate and make improvements then there is no excuse to smoke be. Economic brackets much more the fat and un-healthy as the healthcare system for other people the... The Affordable care Act allows insurance companies to continue making their own rules considerations of justice... And will not to discriminate and replaced these with greed and contempt condition which can be tough to!
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