As for a flat tax, I mean fat tax, ask New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Lord knows this country needs both. 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 . VOTE THE BUMS OUT. The idea here is that minorities and certain ethnicities are more likely to be smokers. Smokers,alcohol comsumers(including bear) and proliflic soda drinkers must pay more because they can quit but they will not, when it comes to fat people I think it is more of a health issue more than anything else but I am for making it mandatroy for enrolling into health program because unless it is mandatory 90% of people(including me) would not attend the health program. However, quitting smoking can help reverse the negative health effects of tobacco, giving you a better chance at a longer, healthier life -- not to mention the money you'll save on cigarettes and healthcare! By the 1980s, smokers were already paying more for life insurance than their nonsmoking counterparts. There is no reason why they can't quit smoking or lose weight. Compare Club Australia Pty Ltd (CCA) is a corporate authorised representative (AFS Representative number 001279036) of Alternative Media Pty Ltd (AFS License number 486326). California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont prohibit tobacco rating for policies purchased throughout the individual market. A person with emphsema is a tremendous cost to the health care system and it is primarily caused by smoking. The potential unintended consequences of the Affordable Care Act are unsettling enough, but even without the ACA, employers have been stung by soaring increases in health insurance premiums. Because the ACA offers such generous coverage for smoking cessation aids, those charged with its implementation should take extra care to encourage smokers to participate in exchanges and to access the clinical services they need to quit smoking. Just as your auto loan down payment and interest rate are computed by your credit, income, stability, etc which creates the exposure to the risk of loan default. It always seems people don't do something until it hits their pocketbook. 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. Genetic factors can also increase health risks, but genetic discrimination in employment and insurance is illegal in the U.S. and many countries. As for smokers, that is much more clear-cut and it would make sense to raise rates for those. Like the diabetic who eats sweets by the barrel full cause they like sweets and refuse to give them up !i mean let's have a little common sence about this ! The health insurance industry unexpectedly began to support a plan for universal health insurance for American citizens. We all souldn't have to pay for their addictions. No need to play big brother by charging people more for health insurance. Just look at the people riding the motorized shopping carts. It's just that simple. The Netherlands still has 3.1 million smokers, of whom 465,000 smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day. But not enough employees have signed up or improved their health. After all, like the commercial states, who doesn't want 50% more cash! I actually fit into both of these catagories and I do agree that the charge should be more. The increased cost of cigarettes is the strongest influence in getting people to smoke. First. The bottom line is when you combine these problems with the fact that we work too much as a society, and leave little time for physical activity and recreation , we have a big problem. Protecting reproductive rights: the importance of abortion training for medical trainees, Physician speaks out about being threatened by a patient and betrayed by an organization. C) Is a longer and improved life not a good motivation? The same goes for obesity. Smokers do not currently pay more for health insurance premiums, due to Australia's community-rated health insurance system. D) Is there any way to motivate self-control? 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. Although studies have shown that monetary incentives can influence smoking cessation, these studies have involved giving smokers monetary rewards to stop smoking and have not examined the effects of charging smokers health insurance rates. According to the utilitarian argument, charging smokers more will encourage them to quit, which will improve public health and reduce societys smoking-related costs. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The million dollar mistake: Why medical schools dont teach business and how its costing physicians, The incessant hounding of doctors: A look at the lengthy professional disclosures required of physicians, Lean on me: the power of human connection and the support of a caring doctor, How to prevent a frivolous medical malpractice lawsuit, Myths and misconceptions about virtual primary health care. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. But, that's a crummy example to set for the vast majority of us who don't. What about people who ride motorcycles, go skiing, boating, or engage in any other risky activity? 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? I am already paying a $25 per week surcharge to my insurance carrier due to smoking. 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. Figure out your major motivation and use it to help you through your journey. Besides they can take the money they save by adopting healthy habits and have more spending money. Yes, Jack. Tobacco taxes increase by 12.5% each year, making Australia the third most expensive country in the world for tobacco. Charging smokers higher health insurance rates is popular and legal, but is it ethical? So yes they should pay more. In this atmosphere, employers must do what they can to control costs. There should also be discounts for people who live an active life style, and take care of themselves in comparison to their age group! Employers have to clearly disclose the program and all its components. Cigarette smokers have rights. Because many companies self-insure - meaning they pay for health care. While we endeavour to provide information that is accurate and up to date, we make no warranties or representations about the accuracy, completeness, reliability or suitability of the information, graphics, products or services offered or contained on the website. yu hve people tht are nt big n hve mre medical problems than them.as for smoker yu no they read the warning n America is stubborn abt taken advice. Therefore, any reliance placed on the information provided on the CompareClub website is at the user's own risk. That is the right solution, not charging people more for health insurance because they have a problem. Is PFS Benefit Enough to Support Upfront Transplant in Multiple Myeloma? And while you're at it tax them MORE too..its only fair. The arguments against charging smokers higher insurance rates appeal to considerations of social justice and fairness. And all program materials must disclose the availability of the alternative. 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. Determine if the state (or states) in question has any law that makes it illegal to do so. You bet, Jack. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. It is a fact that if you leave an unhealthy lifestyle, your lifespan will be shorten and costlier. Smokers elect to smoke and know that they are harming themselves. For your bank account? This is disgracefull question to ask abt fat people, sme hve reason to be tht way. Smokers should pay for their own health costs. They are using 25% more insurance, they should be paying 25% more! The employer cant just hope the employee finds out about the wellness program either, Weston says. That means they have to go to the local charity hospital for treatment for care. Well, if employers require certain employees to pay more, this would join low wages and uncertain tenure as reasons to avoid employers entirely. 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. So it's additional incentive to stop smoking. If that philosophy is applied, then why not charge more for people whose families have a history of cancer of heart disease? Severance, a popular Emmy Award-winning show streaming on Apple TV+, is a rich cultural artifact. No!! Since smokers tend to have significantly lower incomes than non-smokers, they could be especially vulnerable to increased health insurance costs. Why should all of us pay for excess by others? Already a member? How many of those who are smokers or overweight would have become sick regardless. Responsible people who exercise and try to enhance their health should have greatly discounted rates. Smoking tobacco increases your risk of heart disease, lung disease, and other health problems. The risk is based on numerous factors such as, lifestyle and genetics. However, before employers can levy the surcharge they must give smokers an opportunity to qualify for nonsmoker rates by offering a way for them to quit. Education is a better tactic by health care companies. Due to the increased risk, those who smoke can pay more for their monthly premium. And the fat cat CEO's should go on a compensation diet so that more of the money they collect in premiums goes to heath care. Starting next year, Wal-Mart will charge employees who smoke higher premiums, along with offering a free program to help them quit. Hospitals charge a kings ransom for a box of Kleenex. I'm not a smoker nor fat. Should hurricane insurance be the same price for someone on the Florida coast as for someone in Maine? 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. However, because smokers and obese people die younger than healthy individuals, healthy individuals had the highest lifetime health care expenditures. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. I have no sympathy for them whatsoever. It's about time that we are made to be accountable for our actions. for charging me more for healthcare. How about stupid people, they are always doing dumb things to get themselves hurt. The debate continues, because ultimately smoking is a voluntary act that undoubtedly affects individual health and, in turn, the public and private healthcare system. Ralph- Corpus Christi, Texas. cy from arlington, va. If they are lazy and indulge themselves with bad food and refuse to change that! So if you can get people to quit these expensive habits how in the hell are you hurting them? Self-efficacy is essential "Analysis shows . Insurance companies ask if you have any dangerous "hobbies" why not dangerous life styles. Check with a financial professional before making any decisions. Cigarettes, co-pays and junk food add up, and all these savings could give them (Smokers and Fat People) "healthier food" or that gym membership they want so bad. 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. I guess intellectual consistency isn't our strong suit. If we are to receive adequate healthcare in this very backward country, we must rein the medical industry in tightly. 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. These include, but are not limited to: man buns and beards ; whether jam or cream goes first on a scone; the colour of The Dress; and smoking. So its only fair that people who live unhealthy lifestyles, which increase the costs to those of us who are more responsible, pay more for their choices too. Sin taxes have never worked, and hurt those in the lower economic brackets much more. A recent survey found that 2 out of 3 Australians believed that smokers and people with other unhealthy habits should pay more for their health cover. 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. Why should people who make an effort to stay healthy be penalized when people who are willingly and knowingly partaking in detrimental activities pay the same amount. Or, in this case a kick in the wallet. The risk is based on numerous factors such as, lifestyle and genetics control costs ethical... A history of cancer of heart disease there is no reason why they ca n't quit smoking lose... Streaming on Apple TV+, is a better tactic by health care person with emphsema is a better by. Is no reason why they ca n't quit smoking should smokers pay more for health insurance debate lose weight it is caused! 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