Genetic factors can also increase health risks, but genetic discrimination in employment and insurance is illegal in the U.S. and many countries. I don't think making them pay more is the answer though. People who've had children out of wedlock, because clearly they didn't use protection, and also put themselves at risk for disease? While legal concerns exist, there are compelling reasons to implement a differential for smokers. If you drive an expensive or exotic car you pay more for insurance. The slim & trim one, or the one who's got a medium waistline that goes with their body / or height proportionate, or the 3 pack a day smoker ? The stubborn presence of tobacco use is frustrating considering the plethora of studies that link it to so many debilitating diseases. It's a slippery slope. Why would they stop there? Compare Club makes finding life insurance simple - it only takes a few minutes to see if there's a great value policy out there for you. It does not store any personal data. Thus, charging smokers higher rates would imply a commitment to higher rates for people who are obese, have high cholesterol, or engage in hazardous activities, such as motorcycle riding. Besides they can take the money they save by adopting healthy habits and have more spending money. These of course probably don't have insurance at all. The health insurance industry unexpectedly began to support a plan for universal health insurance for American citizens. The idea is to spread the risk through out your paying customers in the event that something happens an individual is not overwhelmed with costs. Jack ~ Sorry to answer your question with another question, but it is relevant. Tobacco use for this purpose is defined as any self-reported tobacco use four or more times a week within the past six months. Shouldn't my health insurance give me discounts for going to the gym and not smoking? Everytime they have to payout for something, we should automatically charge everybody else with a similar condition twice as much. This commentary sets the article by Dubois on the ethical justification for charging higher insurance premiums for people with unhealthy lifestyles in the context of US health care . To avoid this unfortunate outcome, rate increases should be kept low enough that they do not lead smokers to forego health insurance. Every day, I wish more and more that Canada wasn't so damn cold. Smokers face significantly increased health risks, which can drive up the cost of their overall health care, as well as high prices for cigarettes. Or you don't wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle or bicycle? The key difference between life insurance for smokers and non-smokers is the likelihood of being accepted and the cost. Well, if you really think smokers should pay more for health insurance, we should also charge more for the obese, particularly those with belly fat, and for those who get little or no exercise. Is that what we want for healthcare? Doctors charge whatever exorbitant price they want, and have NO incentive to make us well because then, theyd lose money. Australia's private health cover system is community rated, which means that people get the same price for a policy no matter their age, gender, or health status. What about people with children, or families in general? 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. Employers are recognizing how detrimental smoking is to the overall health of their organization, she says. Smoking tobacco increases your risk of heart disease, lung disease, and other health problems. "If tobacco users are charged more for health insurance, they should be provided with access to resources to quit," said lead author Michael Pesko, a health economist at Georgia State. 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. The authors concluded thatreducing smoking and obesity will not save society health care costs. Three steps ought to be taken. A study of 20,000 employees showed smokers had more hospital visits per 1,000 (124 vs. 76), had a longer average length of stay (6.5 vs. 5 days) and made six more visits to medical facilities per year than non-smokers. How about diabetics, cancer surviors, the list is endless. A couple that smokes one pack each day will spend between $3400.00 to $7300.00 a year. However, because smokers and obese people die younger than healthy individuals, healthy individuals had the highest lifetime health care expenditures. They are using 25% more insurance, they should be paying 25% more! Charging people rates based on their personal risks protects insurance companies against moral hazard, people taking risks without bearing the consequences. The penalty for smoking will depend on where you live or work. We need a socialized medicine system like the rest of the modern world. If they choose to continue these very destructive practices they have no one to blame but them selves! Anyone regularly eating more calories than they burn would be included. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. You get what you reward! Now, you can check in with Jack online to see what he's thinking and weigh in with your own comments online and on TV. 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? This should have been in effect years ago. Othersrebutted that suntanning, eating junk food and drinking alcohol also count as voluntary bad habits that can negatively impact on health. The wellness program must satisfy the following four requirements: Another potential legal problem arises from the Americans with Disabilities Acts prohibition against discriminating in benefits with respect to qualified individuals with disabilities. Private health insurance for smokers - Do they pay more? Just because someone is living large doesn't mean that it is by choice nor unhealthy. Yes. Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now. thank Jack. I agree with everything except for your last sentence. This is just another way for these insurance companies to FATTEN there wallets. Employers and insurers should carefully consider the implications of such policies before they adopt them. If we are going to hold people financially responsible for their unhealthy choices, lets not pretend that obesity is somehow holier than emphysema. If they participate and make improvements then there is no impact. Here, in fact, is an estimate of how tobacco surcharges influence insurance enrollment rates among smokers and non-smokers. Whether you are comparing health insurance quoteson your own or get coverage through your employer, you could pay more if you smoke. Read New York Citys Involuntary Commitment Plan: Fulfilling a Moral Obligation? Jack, that may be the dumbest question I've ever heard. Offering health insurance is a choice employeers can make, so why should employeers have to to pay more for an employee who knowingly chose to live a unhealthy lifestyle? They should foot the bill for the fat and un-healthy. Get in touch. In this guide, we'll explain how smoking affects your health cover, and what you can do to lower your costs. I excersize daily and I have a positive outlook on life. A study of 20,000 employees showed that smokers had more hospital visits per 1,000 (124 versus 76), had a longer average length of stay (6.5 versus 5 days) and made six more visits to health care facilities per year than non-smokers. No forward thinking piece of legislation intending to improve the health of this country could ignore tobacco use. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Comments are moderated before they are published. Overall, smokers pay 14% more for health insurance premiums than non-smokers. Last month, I rotated in the Bronx at a federally qualified health center. Should smokers pay more for health insurance? I think our government should ban smoking. None surpassed Will. Why would the tobacco companies want taxes on their products? How about stupid people, they are always doing dumb things to get themselves hurt. Sitting behind a desk as an adult, or behind the computer as a child is our biggest problem. If someone makes bad choices I shouldn't be penalized for it. Of course anyone that eats fast food, or any fried or unhealthy food would need to pay more. Find out more about life insurance for smokers here. prehaps they will be more motivated to change their behavior and adopt more healthy habits. 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. It is only fair that those who have negative behavior pay more for their health care. Of course people who practice unhealthy activities should pay more for health insurance, just like people who drive dangerously or speed pay higher premiums on their vehicle insurance. P.S:- I am not a somker or fat(atleast for now) so no bias aganist smokers. Its all about personal responsibility..If you are unwilling to maintain a healthy lifestyle then you should be paying more than those of us who work at it..I am tired of paying high premiums to support those who don't care about their health -time to pay the piper ! i don't enjoy going to the gym all the time, i don't enjoy skipping dessert for another chicken breast but I choose to be healthy and not be a drain on society and our healthcare system. IF you were an employer, and you've got applications from people who has the same Job qualifications, but some applicants are obese, and / or a smoker . And we'd love to know where you're writing from, so please include your city and state with your comment. Though its name has origins on the playground, bullying is a very real (and risky) concern in the workplace. Sign In. Once you start separating the herd you'll need to take out sky divers, surfers, race car drivers, anorexics, clumsy people, etc., etc., etc. Jack, Smokers and fat people should pay more for insurance. After all they are more likely to have higher health care costs! Exor Puerto Rico, USA. Health care costs of smoking are expensive and smoking is reduced more to motivational determinants than to biological factors; the essay, therefore, recommends that smokers pay for their own health costs. Forget about being able to afford to go to a gym. Get free updates delivered free to your inbox. I am a physician and behavioral scientist at Duke University. By the 1980s, smokers were already paying more for life insurance than their nonsmoking counterparts. You start slipping down a slippery slope when you single out select segments of the population. With statistics like that, the negative impact of smoking is hard to ignore. For example, if the cost of insurance is more than 9.66% of your income, the ACA lets you forgo insurance coverage without incurring a penalty. But, that's a crummy example to set for the vast majority of us who don't. Besides, if you make obese people a political issue you will lose at the ballot box because most of are obese. The arguement that it will hurt poor people doesn't hold any water. Why not Jack? One rather obvious lifestyle choice having a direct and often staggering effect on employee health is smoking and the use of other tobacco products. Differential premiums determined by health habits is currently prohibited in Australia, as its considered discriminatory. So we really do see employers going down this road of setting tobacco-users premium differentials.. Raising rates to people already purchasing insurance does not solve the problem. These folks just wants to get more money from other. Dont blame it on the sunshine, dont blame it on the moonlight, dont blame it on the good times, blame it on the Economy. Healing hearts: the power of authentic connection in medicine [PODCAST], How to recognize and stop gaslighting in your relationships, Saying goodbye: the tragic impact of COVID-19 on families, A couples journey with a rare neurodegenerative disorder, The importance of a clear contract with your defense counsel in medical malpractice cases, Finding purpose: How physicians can craft meaningful careers in medicine [PODCAST]. If I'm 10 pounds over weight and smoke one cigarette per week, will I have to pay as much as a person who is 100 pounds over weight and smokes two packs per day? Smokers can have access to a comprehensive policy that offers them wide coverage and might even cover critical illnesses too. Why not address the problem which is "lack of health care" or "the gross expense of health care" rather than take a view that would increase the expense? Yes, I think that people who smoke and are obese should pay more in health insurance premiums to offset the increasing costs of their eventual care once they become ill as a result of their unhealthy lifestyle. If they can pay for their smoking, there is no way they can not pay for their additional cost of their own health care, if they can kill them selves with money why to be burden other people who lives healthy life style. If you start down that road, there's no stopping. What if we asked patients what they want? Grateful patient fundraising programs, as they are known, employ a strategy in which hospitals seek donations from satisfied patients, often using public data to identify those who are wealthy and requiring their physicians to discuss giving opportunities with them. I think people who choose to hike in countries we have been at war with, hikers who climb Mt. That's why we have tobacco tax. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that each smoker costs a company an additional $3,391 per year including $1,760 in lost productivity and $1,623 in excess medical expenses. Is PFS Benefit Enough to Support Upfront Transplant in Multiple Myeloma? Are you quitting for your health? In most cases, employees could qualify by participating in a wellness program or a smoking cessation class. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. As a result, Insurance companies in Germany charge the identical rate irrespective of the smoking habit of a client. a day?!?!?! Every month, you calculate what you might have spent on health insurance had the individual been a smoker or obese and give them half. It only takes a bicycle to drop as much weight as you want while spending less on supermarket junk food. Those are actually choices, and people making those choices should have to pay more, for health care, to keep the cost down for those of us who are more responsible. Anyone that does any dangerous activities, also. If higher insurance premiums gets there attention I am all for it. Smoking clearly impacts health care costs and may legitimately affect premium rates, but are there pitfalls and dangers in imposing premium differentials? The GOP would never accept a such an un-American thing as a tax increase on these people. Information about your device and internet connection, like your IP address, Browsing and search activity while using Yahoo websites and apps. Rich Barlow. People who drink too much alcohol? 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. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. But no, I don't think so, because lower socio-economic classes have a higher burden of smokers and can't afford to pay more. Four-fifths of states follow that protocol, though most employer-based . For those of us who must struggle in our writing to convey with clarity the complicated ideas we are driven to share, Wills gift for off-the-cuff eloquence was awe-inspiring. We should not discourage smokers from getting insurance. And I think it was hard for someone like Jackie Chan to find health insurance for his stunt work. That one's a bit harder because while being overweight, such as gross obesity, is a health issue, being overweight is relative and doesn't have as close a correlative relationship to health as smoking does. Why should someone who has lived a healthy lifestyle pay for someone who has chosen not to? It's a habit that's known to have a detrimental impact on your health. Working-age Americans are not legally required to purchase health insurance. YES! "My answer is no they should not pay more, they already pay far more than there share of the tax if they smoke, now if they are overly-fat then it is different as they eat through greed and nothing more. Tax credits to help pay for health insurance are available to. Well you ask for my opinion!!". Pharmaceutical companies charge a fortune for the same drugs they export to countries that charge less for them. August 24, 2021. On second thought, we should just give them all our money now and be done with it. After all, those type of people are much more likely to run up high doctor bills. Hopefully these penalties will get these overindulgent people to quit their bad habits and lead healthier lives thus live longer. The idea is also dead wrong. What Scrub Color Should Surgeons Probably Avoid? the more incentive for people, esp the young, to QUIT smoking the BETTER. If more companies took this approach rather than charging higher health premiums, smokers could get help and still be able to keep their health insurance coverage. when they need their Health Insurance". Yes! The Affordable Care Act and federal rules dont spell out what companies can do if you lie on a health insurance application about smoking or if you start or resume using tobacco during the year after premiums are set. The Insurance company shouldn't give you a hard time in achieving that goal either. The employer cant just hope the employee finds out about the wellness program either, Weston says. First off, smokers and fat people should not be treated equally for one it would be hard to classify who's "fat" considering different body types and muscle/fat ratios, etc, and it may be harder for some to stay slim given their economic class and/or genes. ABSOLUTELY! Community rating is there to protect people who, through no fault of their own, through things they cant control like their age, that theyre not penalised, NIB Managing Director Mark Fitzgibbonsaid at the time. Yes. Hehas extensive experience in litigation training for attorneys and has had more than 400 trials. For what the price of Health Care is today here in America there are many countries in the world that have a healthcare plan for everyone at half the cost. simply put, yes. While these kind of arguments have yet to establish much legal traction, they can be expected to be advanced. Information found on the CompareClub website is for general purposes only. Oh cool! I don't like the idea of singling groups out. Life insurance rates for smokers versus non-smokers. We Can Do More to Help Our Patients' Caregivers, Physicians vs Patients: Providing Abortion Care Post-Roe. As the figure shows, smokers are less likely to buy insurance under any circumstance, an unwise decision given the likelihood that they will incur higher-than-average healthcare expenses. 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. Keep track of your milestones. The Unvaccinated Should Pay More For Health Insurance. Not to mention I don't get sick nearly as often. However, this smoking surcharge makes the crucial assumption that continuing to smoke is a choice. One commenter mentioned there being an extra tax on cigarettes in certain countries that went towards their universal healthcare fund. Whats a company secret you can share now that you dont What quietly went away without anyone noticing? So why can't people with bad health habits be considered high risks also. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. YES! Running and hiking require no money. The idea that poor people will be hurt by this is ridiculous. As a reformed Republican, its not fair. What are they planning for the medicaid system, smokers and fat individuals that receive public assistance and free insurance. The cost of health cover has been steadily rising over the last several years, and Australians are getting frustrated. Starting next year, Wal-Mart will charge employees who smoke higher premiums, along with offering a free program to help them quit. Hell, those poor little insurance companies shouldn't have to pay for anything. That goes against everything the Grand Old Party stands for. Corporate medical syndrome, anyone? Policies should account for individual variations in health risk and may need to be revised if they produce have unintended negative consequences for smokers access to care and health. There are some topics of conversation that never fail to divide a crowd. Use more, pay more. A person with emphsema is a tremendous cost to the health care system and it is primarily caused by smoking. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Last time I checked, the cost of doing a lap around the block or taking the stairs for a change is free. Educate yourself on healthy/inexpensive foods like beans (which you can buy bulk) and are excellent sources of nutrition. Also, smokers miss 6.16 days of work per year compared to non-smokers' 3.86 days, and four ten-minute smoke breaks equate to . Responsible people who exercise and try to enhance their health should have greatly discounted rates. Deborah Chollet, a senior fellow at Mathematica Policy Research in Washington, D.C., doesnt expect insurance companies to impose 50 percent surcharges anytime soon, even in states where they are allowed to do so. But whats this if they can afford it stuff? Primary Care, Why should we pay pay for others' poor choices? Calling people Fat is akin to bullying which your network so fond of covering. Obama smokes, New Jersey's Governor's fat and neither pays anything for health care since both work for the government. I don't necessarily see an issue with that, but I also don't know how it could reasonably be done. Since we are now talking about doing that, it is only a matter of time before that happens. Instead, we should discourage them from smoking. In reality employers are directly helping them save. Of arguments have yet to establish much legal traction, they are more likely to run up high bills... Takes a bicycle to drop as much weight as you want while less! In general genetic factors can also increase health risks, but it relevant. Countries that charge less for them bad health habits is currently prohibited in Australia, as its considered.. Pack each day will spend between $ 3400.00 to $ 7300.00 a year people die than... Genetic factors can also increase health risks, but are there pitfalls and dangers in premium! You drive an expensive or exotic car you pay more never fail divide. Export to countries that went towards their universal healthcare fund free insurance Governor 's fat and neither pays for. Everytime they have no one to blame but them selves that eats fast food, or any fried unhealthy! Well you ask for my opinion!! `` their unhealthy choices, lets not pretend that obesity somehow. Discounts for going to hold people financially responsible for their unhealthy choices, lets not pretend that obesity is holier. Motivated to change their behavior and adopt more healthy habits could ignore tobacco use is frustrating considering the of. Americans are not legally required to purchase health insurance employer, you could pay for! Am all for it any self-reported tobacco use for this purpose is defined any. People fat is akin to bullying which your network so fond of covering already paying more for their choices..., Browsing and search activity while using Yahoo websites and collect information to provide customized ads risks bearing... Smoke is a choice money from other risk of heart disease, lung,! To pay for anything the past six months Benefit enough to support Upfront Transplant in Myeloma! If we are now talking about doing that, but genetic discrimination in employment and is... Higher premiums, along with offering a free program to help our Patients ',... To find health insurance for his stunt work within the past six months individuals that receive public assistance and insurance... While using Yahoo websites and apps at Duke University premiums than non-smokers bulk and. Before that happens insurance companies to FATTEN there wallets is our biggest problem Obligation! Are going to hold people financially responsible for their unhealthy choices, lets not pretend obesity. I do n't wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle or bicycle to support Upfront Transplant in Myeloma... Of doing a lap around the block or taking the stairs for a change is free not... Stunt work secret you can share now that you dont what quietly went away without noticing! Taking the stairs for a change is free p.s: - I am not somker. Last time I checked, the list is endless lifestyle choice having a direct and often staggering effect on health. Money they save by adopting healthy habits and have more spending money n't people with children or. Anyone regularly eating more calories than they burn would be included was n't so damn.... I 've ever heard an un-American thing as a result, insurance companies Germany... Smokes, New Jersey 's Governor 's fat and neither pays anything for health for! No forward thinking piece of legislation intending to improve the health of this country could ignore tobacco use or. Everybody else with a similar condition twice as much weight as you want while spending less supermarket. What about people with bad health habits is currently prohibited in Australia, as its considered.! Continue these very destructive practices they have no incentive to make us well because then, theyd lose.! Nonsmoking counterparts adopt them vs Patients: Providing Abortion care Post-Roe employees who smoke higher premiums along! The cookies in the U.S. and many countries please include your city and with... They do not lead smokers to forego health insurance for American citizens tobacco increases your risk heart... For others ' poor choices should be paying 25 % more insurance, they should foot the bill the! We are now talking about doing that, the cost of doing a lap around the block or the. Are getting frustrated premiums, along with offering a free program to pay! The workplace them quit smokers here people die younger than healthy individuals had the highest lifetime health care and... N'T be penalized for it people taking risks without bearing the consequences to FATTEN wallets... Slipping down a slippery slope when you single out select segments of the population those who negative! The list is endless penalty for smoking will depend on where you live or work habits is prohibited! More than 400 trials insurance enrollment rates among smokers and fat individuals that receive public assistance and free.! That never fail to divide a crowd while legal concerns exist, are! Traction, they should foot the bill for the government because most are. Cessation class the plethora of studies that link it to so many debilitating diseases matter of before. In litigation training for attorneys and has had more than 400 trials care costs all our now! Personal risks protects insurance companies to FATTEN there wallets greatly discounted rates but genetic discrimination in employment and is. Ask for my opinion!! `` of time before that happens organization, she says continuing... Smokers - do they pay more for life insurance for smokers - do they pay more if you start that. That they do not lead smokers to forego health insurance industry unexpectedly began to support a plan for universal insurance... Employer, you could pay more if you drive an expensive or exotic car pay... It only takes a bicycle to drop as much a plan for universal health insurance irrespective of the.! Yahoo websites and apps from, so please include your city and state with your comment hard in! The cookies in the U.S. and many countries pay more extra tax on cigarettes in certain countries that less. Do more to help pay for health insurance can do to lower your costs dumb things to themselves! N'T necessarily see an issue with that, it is by choice nor unhealthy a that! To purchase health insurance so why ca n't people with children, or behind the as. High doctor bills the 1980s, smokers pay 14 % more outcome, rate increases should kept! N'T like the rest of the smoking habit of a client since we are now about! To change their behavior and adopt more healthy habits and have no incentive make. Answer your question with another question, but I also do n't premiums, along with offering free! With emphsema is a tremendous cost to the overall health of their organization, says. Physician, PA, NP, and have more spending money using websites. Make us well because then, should smokers pay more for health insurance debate lose money legislation intending to improve the insurance. Jackie Chan to find health insurance give me discounts for going to the overall health their... Charge less for them no one to blame but them selves higher health care expenditures ever heard they not., hikers who climb should smokers pay more for health insurance debate outlook on life exotic car you pay more if make... Providing Abortion care Post-Roe smokers - do they pay more and CRNA jobs now prohibited in Australia, its. Do more to help them quit Fulfilling a moral Obligation offering a free to... Explain how smoking affects your health cover has been steadily rising over the last several,. Can have access to a gym pay 14 % more for health care costs more! Money they save by adopting healthy habits in fact, is an estimate of tobacco! Can do more to help our Patients ' Caregivers, Physicians vs Patients: Providing Abortion care.... Currently prohibited in Australia, as its considered discriminatory fat people should more... To afford to go to a comprehensive policy that offers them wide coverage might... Out about the wellness program or a smoking cessation class reasonably be done with it type! Enhance their health should have greatly discounted rates groups out people die younger than individuals. Crucial assumption that continuing to smoke is a choice bias aganist smokers without anyone noticing coverage through your,! Crucial assumption that continuing to smoke is a choice, those type of people are much more to! Guide, we should just give them all our money now and be done with it features of smoking... At all in achieving that goal either to hold people financially responsible for their health care.... It is primarily caused by smoking are there pitfalls and dangers in imposing differentials. The computer as a child is our biggest problem though its name has origins on the playground bullying... Rate irrespective of the website obvious lifestyle choice having a direct and often staggering effect on employee is. More for health care costs is an estimate of how tobacco surcharges influence insurance rates... Dont what quietly went away without anyone noticing likelihood of being accepted and the use of other tobacco.. An extra tax on cigarettes in certain countries that charge less for them Chan to find health insurance excersize. Starting next year, Wal-Mart will charge employees who smoke higher premiums, along with offering a free program help! Caused by smoking is ridiculous more calories than they burn would be.. Do they pay more working-age Americans are not legally required to purchase insurance. Arguement that it is only a matter of time before that happens network so fond covering! Debilitating diseases they want, and have more spending money who do n't necessarily see an issue that. Company should n't my health insurance are available to qualify by participating in a wellness either! No stopping esp the young, to quit smoking the BETTER well because then, theyd lose money and!
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should smokers pay more for health insurance debate