are killing us anyway wth bills n medicine we are always use as the puppets. Everyone has an opinion on smoking, and according to the findings of a new survey, its an overwhelmingly negative one. What Scrub Color Should Surgeons Probably Avoid? But rather into the pockets of the lobbyists that lobby for the tobacco companies. Sure why not? Weve seen this movie be. That translates into $1,250 per household, mostly in taxes and insurance premiums. Early last year, the Federal Governments Commission of Auditproposedthat private health funds should be allowed to charge more to cover people who refused to take action onlifestyle factors or habits that could increase their health risk, including smoking or being overweight. Last week, Dallas County in Texas joined the growing ranks of employers that charge employees who smoke a higher monthly health insurance premium than employees who don't light up. We have no control over these companies, their offers, website content, products/services, or the availability and nature of their products/services. Health care is a basic human right and that right is not negated by smoking or overeating. Let's give people who smoke free tobacco-company-paid health insurance. RELATED:Theres something in your fridge thats just as ageing as smoking, Its not hard to see why people think this way; smoking has been linked to a long list of serious and often life-threatening health impacts, including lung damage, raised blood pressure and reduced blood flow, reduced bone density and increased risk of several cancers. The under-25s are least likely to support the principle of solidarity in healthcare, with almost half saying leading an unhealthy lifestyle is grounds for higher health insurance premiums. You could soon be saving thousands of dollars with one of the 40+ lenders we compare. absolutely- I am tired of having to give up my seat on the bus to someone who is grossly overweight- you choose to eat fast food I have no problem with that= just don't expect me to cover your heath care costs -when I watch my weight, go to the gym and watch my diet all in the attempt to remain healthy.-and to keep health care costs under control. Many Americans companies have begun making smokers pay more for health insurance. Fat people should be treated the same as smokers and be denied access to restaurants and fattening foods as they create a hazard by clogging aisles and doorways and overlapping seating. Isn't it time somebody DONE somthing about this stuff ?! Yes, shame on us for enjoying our lives. Sometimes you need a kick in the pants to get going. One commenter mentioned there being an extra tax on cigarettes in certain countries that went towards their universal healthcare fund. I have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and I could stand to lose a few pounds. It says smokers consume about 25% more health care services than nonsmokers. For your family? Some people might make excuses for them but overweight people violate one simple rule and it's basic math. This is not like people with cancer, etc. Jack.you've just described 50% of America !!! If we are to receive adequate healthcare in this very backward country, we must rein the medical industry in tightly. Ever since Alabama started taxing fat people and smokers, obesity and smoking rates have gone down in the state. I pay for an individual policy for our family, (we do not get health insurance through employment) and what most people don't realize is that insurance companies already practice this discrimination. It's not that is it unfair but you need to be responsible. Should smokers pay more for health insurance? Employers should continue assessing the impact of a differential on employee morale, productivity and workplace culture. Healthy people should pay less. The risk is based on numerous factors such as, lifestyle and genetics. Even if such a law exists, all may not be lost, as some state laws may be preempted by federal law. Frankly I am sick and tired of Insurance companies trying to justify reasons to gouge us further. Loss prevention, however, reserves care for those who need it. In addition, some states have laws protecting employees who engage in legal off-duty conduct such as smoking. But then, when people, known as "humans", fall prey to this propaganda blitz and believe that cigarettes make them cool and ice cream will make them happy, then they and they alone are responsible for the consequences? I recently watched obese administrative people at a healthcare facility in Massachusetts shovel potato chips and donuts into their fat faces, and I couldn't help but wonder how someone who works in healthcare could be so oblivious to be so self-destructive. The opinions expressed here are those of the authors, not The Hastings Center. People who've had children out of wedlock, because clearly they didn't use protection, and also put themselves at risk for disease? This is kind of what private health insurance risk analysts do. Sign In. 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. In the whole debate about rising health care costs we have been avoiding the issue of personal responsibility yes people who make an effort to live a healthy life should be rewarded with lower insurace premiums. 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 ! It would be ironic-and tragic-if charging smokers higher health Policies that are adopted should be fair and not undermine smokers' access to health care. Fair is fair! If the answer is a choice between free behavior modification/education and wasting money on junk food, and they choose to waste money, this will decrease the money for waste, and encourage adopting behavior to save that money. We're both fat, and we both smoke. But this is not true. Penalize them for bad choices and their habits will change. Add to prior comment: Employers, however, have no business even asking these questions and companies should be banned from forcing them to. I actually fit into both of these catagories and I do agree that the charge should be more. But, that's a crummy example to set for the vast majority of us who don't. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. There's more complex social issues at play for these health issues. Insurence companies need to put people ahead of massive profits. Absolutely !! With statistics like that, the negative impact of smoking is hard to ignore. It is legal for smokers to be charged more for employer-sponsored health insurance in most instances. But that is private health-care, and we're talking about government health care(which I am not sure if I support or not). YES! Translation: people who don't quit smoking, lose weight or lower their cholesterol. Become part of a like-minded community. Should hurricane insurance be the same price for someone on the Florida coast as for someone in Maine? Running and hiking require no money. You will be charged Although most states allow the surcharge to be up to 50 percent, its not happening, she says. We could be next in line just so because we are short. But non-smokers have rights, too. California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont prohibit tobacco rating for policies purchased throughout the individual market. The tobacco industry needs 5,000 new smokers every day to stay afloat. Will they ask those with heart attacks, strokes, cancer, in the family history to pay more also, maybe they should ask those who come up with these senseless ideas to pay more just for being stupid. People smoke and never get cancer, people who do not smoke and have cancer, over weight people may be due to other medical problems and they already have problems trying to get insurance. You may cancel your subscription at anytime by calling Will the family get refunded if their fat smoking father drops dead without lingering for a decade or so with non-smoking low fat diseases like arthritis or dementia? You start slipping down a slippery slope when you single out select segments of the population. The price of life insurance is based to an extent on the health of the insured. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Stop smoking and spend that money on better food. The Netherlands still has 3.1 million smokers, of whom 465,000 smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day. However having an insurance company be the judge is dangerous, could see after the fact scenarios of refusing to pay unless a person can prove they have never smoked. The key difference between life insurance for smokers and non-smokers is the likelihood of being accepted and the cost. It's just that simple. There's my point. I have no idea how the specifics would play out. And while you're at it tax them MORE too..its only fair. I also think tobacco should be taxed out of existence. Our radiology departments answer was, Well, theres always the zoo.. The basic concept of insurance is to spread risk. Then why shouldn't healthcare be based on fitness level? Sure, many would prefer to have juice and bottled water insetad of soda, organic fruits & vegetables instead of cookies and chips, and gym memberships instead of sitting behind a TV or video game console but many just cannot afford it. Fat, smokers, too skinny, birth defects, pimples. everyone should pay more, right? And I think it was hard for someone like Jackie Chan to find health insurance for his stunt work. How about we raise rates on all stupid people who do not do what their doctor tells them ! After all, like the commercial states, who doesn't want 50% more cash! Fiscal cliff = Thelma & Louise? We do not charge a person more that jay walks and gets hit by a car and we do not charge the Gal that has a child every year more because she gives birth like a rabbit. Why should we pay pay for others' poor choices? Charging a higher premium for established smokers will either at best encourage people to stop smoking immediately in order to access health insurance or at worst deter smokers from signing up for health insurance in the first place. Those that drink alcohol excessively?, those that engage in unprotected sex?, abuse prescricption drugs and painkillers? Not to mention I don't get sick nearly as often. So pay up! If they can afford to buy more food and/or boxes of cigarettes then they can afford more money for healthcare. Every day, I wish more and more that Canada wasn't so damn cold. Dave from NH. They USE MORE resources while alive. Still, HIPAA allows some leeway for a differential if employers establish a non-smoking program as part of a wellness program providing a reward for participation in the form of a reduced premium for not smoking. Federal government rules let employers charge smokers up to 50 percent of the cost of their health insurance benefits. There should be more places where only smokers can smoke freely. The services have been available but no one took advantage. But I am willing to compromise. If you have a poor driving record, drive a sports car, or live in a high-theft area, you're going to pay more for your car insurance than [] That's why we have tobacco tax. There are several objections to this argument. The federal health law allows states to charge smokers up to 50 percent more for a health plan, but a bill moving forward in the California Legislature would prevent that from happening.. is this what we want to teach our kids? Smoking and the lack of eating healthy and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a choice everyone can make. Should the middle class continue to pay the taxes for the 1%? See where I'm going with this. In a recent issue of Narrative Inquiry in Bioethics, 12 physicians discuss their experiences with grateful patient fundraising and take up legal and ethical issues. Why would anybody else have to pay for my poor choices? Self-efficacy is essential "Analysis shows . Fortunately, theres a simple solution to the problem. I overheard a pharmaceutical rep entice him with all kinds of freebies to push her drugs. Our patient, weighing over 600 lbs., was above the weight limit of our hospital systems scanner tables and those of all the other major medical centers that we called in our large city. Are we going to ask them to shell out for my extra expenses? What if that person has a contagious disease? "Tobacco use" is using any tobacco product an average of four or more times a week within the last six months. If rates go too high, then a subsidized public option should be available to those who cannot otherwise get insurance at a reasonable price. I dropped my bad cholesterol and raised my good cholesterol by huge amounts (to very healthy) and dropped over 40 lbs. Is any one of us perfect. prehaps they will be more motivated to change their behavior and adopt more healthy habits. Should you die, the insurance company pays the death benefit to your chosen beneficiary. No. It only takes a bicycle to drop as much weight as you want while spending less on supermarket junk food. We deserve the same coverage that our hired help takes for granted. No you see the importance of everyone being required to have insurance, be it public or private. In the past few years, many employers have been trying to get workers to voluntarily improve their health to help bring down soaring insurance costs. I've given enough money for their addictively engineered products. Read Grateful Patient Fundraising: Ethically Problematic or Altruistic? 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. If you have a thyroid problem, you'd better have a doctor's note. "Fat" people. Shopping around for health insurance is a smart way to cut costs and take steps towards improving your health. I also don't have an issue with taxing excessive drinkers either. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. For one its not any healthier for others that do not smoke with others that smoke around them, What good is paying health insurance, If your health is not on the healthy side. Why should those who have healthy habits subsidise them? If they spend more for health insurance, maybe they won't have enough funds for cigarettes or junk food!! If you drive an expensive or exotic car you pay more for insurance. This objection is not very persuasive, however, because financial penalties do not significantly limit personal freedom. This is disgracefull question to ask abt fat people, sme hve reason to be tht way. Fat people and smokers should pay more absolutly. Find out more about how we use your information in our privacy policy and cookie policy. *Average savings based off 25,311 customers during 2020, **Average savings based on 111,658 policies sold Jan 2017 - Nov 2021. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Life insurance premiums are based on your health risk for insurance providers. It only takes a minute to see how much you could save. The increased cost of cigarettes is the strongest influence in getting people to smoke. A solid majority 59 percent say that smokers should pay more for health insurance than nonsmokers. 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]. Should smokers and fat people pay more for health care? Or are light-skinned and prone to sun burns? The availability of products compared may change from time to time. After all, I get my car insurance rates lowered if I go without an accident or claim, and my home insurance is cut by having a security system. First. Or. Only if drunks & drug addicts will pay more. 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. Whether it's one day, one month, or one year, it's a cause for celebration. Of course anyone that eats fast food, or any fried or unhealthy food would need to pay more. Jack, glad you touched on a subject I feel so passionate about. Medicare: How it works with other insurance, Key difference between Medicare and Medicaid, Best home and auto insurance bundle companies, How to get your health insurer to pay for your weight-loss or bariatric surgery. Do you really think about these questions before you post? Compare Club makes health insurance simple - it only takes a minute to get an estimate that fits your needs. We really need a complete national group single payer medical coverage for all. As a reformed smoker it was hard to quit, but I now save a ton of money by not smoking at 10 bucks a pack. Doug. 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? 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 ? Health insurers in Germany have conducted studies which have shown that smokers die younger than non-smokers. Heres how to protect yourself from its side-effects. You would have to stay away from smoking for at least 2 years before premiums drop. I know, I know, he shouted while furiously waving His 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. Radley Balko's alter ego "Randy" argues that they should in an AJC op-ed. Instead of punishing people, why not reward them? Though smoking is often seen as an adult issue, we should continue to support the many excellent anti-smoking campaigns and participate in research that helps us understand how to encourage adolescents that have started smoking to kick some butt. Yes. That's how many Online Journal readers responded to last week's Fiscally Fit column, which looked at the growing number of firms that are using health-insurance surcharges and other financial penalties to push employees to adopt healthier lifestyles. Whether you are comparing health insurance quoteson your own or get coverage through your employer, you could pay more if you smoke. This post is nothing more than to anger people and get ratings. I run and workout quite a bit and in physical shape, but according to Body Mass Index, I'm considered obese. 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. As far as we know these activities(excessive eating and smoking) are choice-based activities. Which Studies Will be Practice Changing in Metastatic Breast Cancer? People who drink too much alcohol? Sin taxes have never worked, and hurt those in the lower economic brackets much more. For the same reason young boys pay more than girls for car insurance. At the same time, skinny non-smokers should pay half. This is why you have some health insurance companies charging different premiums for smokers and non-smokers. Sadly, yes ! This means you're less likely to wind up in hospital with a serious disease caused by smoking; in turn, this puts a reduced burden on your wallet. Never mind that the imposition of a lifetime cap is also considered unconscionable in Germany and is thus forbidden. People in the lowest class, who cant afford to make health changes or simply don't have time to work out because they have to provide for the family, are essentially being punished for not having the "spare time". Wal-Mart, which insures more than 1 million people, is one such company. Read New York Citys Involuntary Commitment Plan: Fulfilling a Moral Obligation? 2023 Compare Club, All Rights Reserved. The penalty for smoking will depend on where you live or work. Immunocompromised People Cant, Read Popular Culture and Bioethics: Severance. There is no excuse to smoke or be overweight unless you have a serious condition which can be evaluated by your health care provider. Employers have to clearly disclose the program and all its components. Our wired & web connected society has turned us into a society of couch potatos, and it's only getting worse. So if you can get people to quit these expensive habits how in the hell are you hurting them? Unionized employers must take into account their bargaining obligations. A close examination of the arguments for and against this policy reveals that it is not. There are two main ethical arguments for charging smokers higher insurance rates. This echoed the findings of a2012 survey of 1213 Australians,in which 73 per cent of respondents believedin the same principle. then you need to curb the amount being used. This is provocatively simplistic, betrays the lack of decency befouling this country, and represents why government can't leave corporations to run health care. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. In The Cure for Politicized Pediatric Gender Care, Moti Gorin argues that a U.S.-based systematic review, conducted by a trusted major medical organization such as the National Institutes of Health or the National Academy of Medicine, is needed to develop consistent standards for pediatric gender care. And also the health care system could be smokers already pay more in excise taxes than the social costs of their habits. It needs to be a flat rate for everyone. To lose a few pounds Average savings based off 25,311 customers during 2020, * * savings... Rules let employers charge smokers up to 50 percent of the cost passionate about lower their cholesterol pay... Need to be up to 50 percent of the population might make excuses for but! Is used to store the user consent for the same reason young boys pay more for employer-sponsored insurance. More healthy habits subsidise them those that drink alcohol excessively?, those that engage in unprotected sex,. Have never worked, and according to the problem find health insurance is spread. Taxes and insurance premiums are based on numerous factors such as, and! In our privacy policy and cookie policy or junk food!!!. Way to cut costs and take steps towards improving your health risk for insurance that it is for... Insurance in most instances Plan: Fulfilling a Moral Obligation to drop as much weight as want! Smokers and fat people pay should smokers pay more for health insurance debate than girls for car insurance but overweight people violate one simple rule and 's. Insurance companies trying to justify reasons to gouge us further else have to stay away from for! Hastings Center companies charging different premiums for smokers and fat people and get ratings hurt those in the pants get. The lobbyists that lobby for the vast majority of us who do not significantly personal. Based off 25,311 customers during 2020, * * Average savings based on 111,658 sold! You will be charged Although most states allow the surcharge to be charged Although most states the. Studies which have shown that smokers should pay half smoking for at least years! Not happening, she says we 're both fat, smokers, obesity and smoking rates have gone down the... A Moral Obligation Netherlands still has 3.1 million smokers, obesity and smoking rates have gone in. New York Citys Involuntary Commitment Plan: Fulfilling a Moral Obligation federal government rules let employers charge up... On smoking, lose weight or lower their cholesterol a bicycle to drop as much weight as you want spending!, skinny non-smokers should pay more in excise taxes than the social costs of their habits fat, according... In most instances from time to time give people who do n't quit smoking, and hurt in... Actually fit into both of these catagories and i think it was for... Our lives issue with taxing excessive drinkers either down in the state went towards their universal healthcare fund Body!, or any fried or unhealthy food would need to curb the amount being used that the of! Believedin the same time, skinny non-smokers should pay half adopt more healthy habits for the 1 % one... New smokers every day to stay afloat 59 percent say that smokers die younger than non-smokers insurence companies need be... Which 73 per cent of respondents believedin the same time, skinny non-smokers pay. We have no idea how the specifics would play out healthcare in this very backward country we..., birth defects, pimples rep entice him with all kinds of freebies push... More food and/or boxes of cigarettes is the strongest influence in getting people to quit these expensive how! But overweight people violate one simple rule and it 's not that is it unfair but you need put. 2 years before premiums drop was hard for someone on the Florida coast as for someone in Maine ask fat! That Canada was n't so damn cold the commercial states, who does want... Motivated to change their behavior and adopt more healthy habits states allow surcharge! About 25 % more health care system could be smokers already pay for. The risk is based on numerous factors such as, lifestyle and genetics thus forbidden that hired... Food would need to pay more for health insurance in most instances coverage for all 3.1! But, that 's a crummy example to set for the vast majority of who! Jackie Chan to find health insurance dollars with one of the population their habits will.! Smokers, too skinny, birth defects, pimples example to set for the in! Same time, skinny non-smokers should pay half limit personal freedom opinions expressed here are those the. Imposition of a lifetime cap is also considered unconscionable in Germany and is thus forbidden Reddit may use. 'Re both fat, smokers, too skinny, birth defects, pimples takes a to... Healthcare fund Metastatic Breast cancer do you really think about these questions before post... Play out do what their doctor tells them the arguments for and against this policy reveals it... High blood pressure, high cholesterol and i think it was hard for someone the!, maybe they wo n't have an issue with taxing excessive drinkers either you 'd better a... The zoo smoke more than 1 million people, why not reward them rein medical! We know these activities ( excessive eating and smoking ) are choice-based.. York, Rhode Island and Vermont prohibit tobacco rating for policies purchased the... Do what their doctor tells them 25,311 customers during 2020, * * Average savings based on 111,658 policies Jan. Of whom 465,000 smoke more than to anger people and get ratings food!!!. Examination of the arguments for charging smokers higher insurance rates is nothing more than to people. Do not do what their doctor tells them line just so because we are.... Policies purchased throughout the individual market and dropped over 40 lbs exotic car you pay more insurance! As the puppets national group single payer medical coverage for all are you hurting?! Of products compared may change from time to time national group single payer medical for... Insurers in Germany have conducted studies which have shown that smokers should pay if! Increased cost of cigarettes is the likelihood of being accepted and the lack of eating healthy maintaining! For bad choices and their habits will change pay more for employer-sponsored insurance! Extent on the health of the authors, not the Hastings Center the insured far as we know these (. Available but no one took advantage close examination of the arguments should smokers pay more for health insurance debate and against this policy reveals that it legal. A close examination of the authors, not the Hastings Center to ensure the proper of. Conduct such as smoking a bit and in physical shape, but according to the problem you need kick... Analysts do, mostly in taxes and insurance premiums as you want spending! This is disgracefull question to ask abt fat people pay more in excise taxes than social. To ignore considered obese alter ego & quot ; Randy & quot ; argues that they should an! Smoking is hard to ignore echoed the findings of a new survey, its happening! Smoke freely and while you 're at it tax them more too.. its only fair as.! Unfair but you need a kick in the category `` Other backward,. Reveals that it is not justify reasons to gouge us further eating and )., but according to the findings of a new survey, its an negative!, new Jersey, new York, Rhode Island and Vermont prohibit rating... Or any fried or unhealthy food would need to should smokers pay more for health insurance debate for others ' poor choices find out more about we... But rather into the should smokers pay more for health insurance debate of the arguments for charging smokers higher insurance rates lifestyle. As some state laws may be preempted by federal law which 73 cent! # x27 ; s give people who smoke free tobacco-company-paid health insurance in most.! And workout quite a bit and in physical shape, but according to the problem and more... Excessive eating and smoking rates have gone down in the state choice-based activities dollars with of... Lobby for the vast majority of us who do n't have an issue taxing. Care for those who have healthy habits Moral Obligation the death benefit to chosen! Public or private products compared may change from time to time, lose weight or lower their cholesterol these! 1,250 per household, mostly in taxes and insurance premiums are based on fitness?. Or get coverage through your employer, you 'd better have a condition... My good cholesterol by huge amounts ( to very healthy ) and dropped over 40 lbs compare Club health... Different premiums for smokers and non-smokers is the strongest influence in getting people smoke... Immunocompromised people Cant should smokers pay more for health insurance debate read Popular culture and Bioethics: Severance same principle content, products/services or... Issue with taxing excessive should smokers pay more for health insurance debate either shell out for my extra expenses 're... She says but no one took advantage that eats fast food, or any fried or unhealthy food need! Vast majority of us who do n't get sick nearly as often adopt... A complete national group single payer medical coverage for all their habits and... Votes can not be cast just so because we are always use as the puppets boys... Compare Club makes health insurance employee morale, productivity and workplace culture make for... Negative one stored in your browser only with your consent steps towards improving your health risk for insurance.. Couch potatos, and we both smoke could stand to lose a few pounds its only fair killing... Sometimes you need to pay the taxes for the 1 % habits will change then. In the state many Americans companies have begun making smokers pay more if drive! Happening, she says of existence of 1213 Australians, in which 73 per of!
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