You'll be able to breathe better. The services have been available but no one took advantage. Therefore, they cost LESS than non-smokers who live longer and who will suffer other costly age-related diseases. The ABS found that smoking causes 80% of lung cancer deaths and 20% of overall cancer deaths. Doug. However, this smoking surcharge makes the crucial assumption that continuing to smoke is a choice. My company had a health and fitness program a few years ago, which I enjoyed participating in, but lost interest after a few years. Some loss mitigation is appropirate. I have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and I could stand to lose a few pounds. Smokers and overweight people need to stand up and start being accountable for their actions and unhealthy life choices. A solid majority 59 percent say that smokers should pay more for health insurance than nonsmokers. I don't think so. Health riskers ought to pay Auto and life insurance companies regularly vary premiums with risk. I think that is a very good method. Stop smoking and spend that money on better food. This post is nothing more than to anger people and get ratings. Smoking and obesity is a free choice. As far as we know these activities(excessive eating and smoking) are choice-based activities. The Affordable Care Act allows insurers to charge smokers up to 50% more than what nonsmokers pay for some health plans. For your bank account? Welcome to CCI. Obviously they have higher medical costs associated with the ills that come with smoking. The table below shows the price comparison of a smoker vs a non-smoker in good health. 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. Studies have shown thatmonetary incentivescan significantly increase smoking cessation. Smokers can abstain from smoking if they wish to. RELATED:Sitting is the new smoking. Or, in this case a kick in the wallet. Though its name has origins on the playground, bullying is a very real (and risky) concern in the workplace. Public Health & Policy. Specifically, they shouldnt have to pay to subsidize the healthcare costs of people who choose to smoke. 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. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. 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 . 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. Or a family history of colon cancer? The privatization of health care where shareholders trump patients is obscene. This is just one more shameful proposal. Well, the creators of the Affordable Care Act (or the ACA, a.k.a. When the genetic components of responding to the advertising that aided addiction to the once omni-legal activity of smoking and now fuels the pervasive fast food industry will it become civil rights issue. And people who drive more than others, people who work 3 jobs, people who don't work enough, people who drink too much, those that don't drink enough. So instead, companies are now going to start making these employees pay more. The tobacco industry needs 5,000 new smokers every day to stay afloat. The national average premium paid by a smoker in our survey was $213 per month. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Smokers should pay for their own health costs. Read Grateful Patient Fundraising: Ethically Problematic or Altruistic? Somehow, most of us managed to live through it. Sure, as well as people with over active tyroids, and underactive thyroids, and those with ADHD, and those on high blood pressure medicine, and anyone with a pre-existing condition including acne, as some insurance companies rate it. We need individuals to step up and take responsibility for their own behaviors. Critics worry these kinds of penalties will hurt poor people the most, since health care costs consume a bigger part of their income and they may not have as much access to gyms or fresh food. Hell no. But what should an employer consider and do when acting on those reasons? Our websites do not, and are not intended to, provide a comprehensive list of all companies that may provide the products and services you are seeking. Healthy foods cost two to three times as much. Unsurprisingly, the majority of them are not in favor of having to pay more for their health insurance premiums. As for a flat tax, I mean fat tax, ask New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. By the 1980s, smokers were already paying more for life insurance than their nonsmoking counterparts. Oh cool! 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? In 2011, two-thirds of companies with 200 or more employees set up cessation programs to help their smoking employees quit. How would you prove that the condition was directly caused by smoking, rather than being a pre-existing illness? What is a creepy fact about the human body? While these kind of arguments have yet to establish much legal traction, they can be expected to be advanced. Smokers and fat Americans could soon be paying a lot more for their health care. Sign In. The financial products compared on this website do not necessarily compare all features that may be relevant to you. Sadly in America we have far more unhealthy people than healthy so this will probably be resisted and some groups will get involved and say it's discrimination. Fresh food is cheaper than junk food and less food costs less than more food. Adult film star Ron Jeremy found unable to stand trial for rape The increased tobacco excise taxes are also filling up government coffers to the tune of an estimated $8 billion each year. 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. This is nothing but insurance companies ripping off ignorant consumers. Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now. If smokers and over weight people are require to pay more for health insurance, then its consider a penalty. r/AskReddit is the place to ask and answer thought-provoking questions. If they spend more for health insurance, maybe they won't have enough funds for cigarettes or junk food!! Life insurance, on the other hand, is risk-rated, so your premiums are based on the level of risk you present to the insurer. and people might get healthier. Many studies have focused on smoking and its deleterious effects, not just upon ones health, but upon productivity. Shame on you Jack, shame on you ! If a union is in the picture, a differential would probably be a mandatory subject of bargaining. 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. It is all propaganda, Jack. Not to mention I don't get sick nearly as often. Although smoking has yet to be identified as a disability, it often does involve attendant health issues that are disabilities, and a court might accept a claim on the theory that a smoker was regarded as being disabled. Fiscal cliff = Thelma & Louise? Then, would not liquor users be the next target. But it shouldnt protect people who deliberately engage in behaviours which add to their risk profile., When the findings of today's survey came up inThe Glowoffice, it immediately prompted some strong opinions. 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. I think educating them is. Multiply the number of packs you smoke in a week by the cost of cigarettes to find out how much you can save by not smoking. Please see our FSG. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. How about a history of premature births or child development problems in the family? The same with booze, and other things that costs the country money to fix. The key difference between life insurance for smokers and non-smokers is the likelihood of being accepted and the cost. I don't think making them pay more is the answer though. More importantly, for the purposes of this post, when surcharges arose in 2014, there was a pretty steep decline in the percent of smokers who purchased insurance. "Tobacco use" is using any tobacco product an average of four or more times a week within the last six months. 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. 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. ), and that they are concerned with expense. Secondly fat people don't stay fat because they are starving. Immunocompromised People Cant, Read Popular Culture and Bioethics: Severance. Instead, we should discourage them from smoking. Tax credits to help pay for health insurance are available to. Fair is fair! The penalty for smoking will depend on where you live or work. That is why we are $13 trillion in debt nobody wants to be responsible. Since we are now talking about doing that, it is only a matter of time before that happens. Mayor Adams said we have a moral obligation to help people who are mentally ill. How to find good vaccine information online. You may change your billing preferences at any time in the Customer Center or call Jack ~ Sorry to answer your question with another question, but it is relevant. Another incentive. 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. Sometimes you need a kick in the pants to get going. The health insurance surcharge applies to users of all types of tobacco, including pipes, cigars, cigarettes and chewing tobacco. The idea is also dead wrong. No one, not even the near dead, should pay MORE to these vultures. There are some topics of conversation that never fail to divide a crowd. Where are the numbers to support that lifestyle behaviors are significant costs. Don't destroy me, it was just an interesting thought I had when thinking about government health care. The surcharge makes it economically rational for many smokers to say no to health insurance. When you quit smoking, you can effectively reverse some of its effects on your health. Third, some might argue that incentivizing smokers to quit is unjustified, paternalistic interference in personal autonomy. Why should those who have healthy habits subsidise them? Obamacare) recognize that it would be cruel to force people to buy insurance if such a purchase was out of their reach. Tobacco use for this purpose is defined as any self-reported tobacco use four or more times a week within the past six months. If everyone paid the same rate, nonsmokers would have to share the health-care costs stemming from smokers habits. That means they have to go to the local charity hospital for treatment for care. Smokers do not currently pay more for health insurance premiums, due to Australia's community-rated health insurance system. Smokers kill themselves, kill others through second hand smoke, waste money, burden hospitals, and smell bad. We don't punish drug users or alcoholics by charging them more because of their chemical dependence so I dont see any sense in singling out fat people and Smokers for their bad habits. I'm glad that's being done, personally. Nearly three-quarters of people in households with with annual income of $100,000 or more . Smoking-related illnesses cost the United States hundreds of billions of dollars a year in health care expenditures and lost productivity, and claim hundreds of thousands of lives. Given the enormous medical and economic toll of smoking, it is not surprising that. Anyone that does any dangerous activities, also. It is believed that people who smoke are provided limited coverage or can be restricted when it comes to health insurance. Compare Club Australia Pty Ltd (CCA) is a corporate authorised representative (AFS Representative number 001279036) of Alternative Media Pty Ltd (AFS License number 486326). Comparisons are made on the basis of price only and different products may have different features and different levels of coverage. "let the Insurance companies charge anyone a penalty, Both are just as costly in care as smoking/weight. They will save a fortune if they quit buying cigarettes. 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. P.S:- I am not a somker or fat(atleast for now) so no bias aganist smokers. He or she can suggest a range of resources that can help you as you cut smoking out of your life. If there ever was an industry that demanded nationalization it is the health care industry. Should Texas be allowed to secede from the union? Last time I checked, the cost of doing a lap around the block or taking the stairs for a change is free. With statistics like that, the negative impact of smoking is hard to ignore. 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. The ACA recognizes the increased costs associated with smoking employees by allowing insurers to raise smokers premiums up to 50 percent over those paid by non-smokers. David B. Resnik, JD, Ph.D, is a bioethicist at the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences. Instead, if they can afford insurance but choose not to purchase it, they pay a penalty. 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 ! Smokers elect to smoke and know that they are harming themselves. VOTE THE BUMS OUT. Next, we will all be screened genetically, and anyone who has a predisposition for any illness or disease will be excluded acquiring insurance. It never ends. Why should all of us pay for excess by others? So lets use the corporations who stretch across the states to implement this and maybe we can finally get our overweight problem under control. There are two main ethical arguments for charging smokers higher insurance rates. 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. I don't like the idea of making anyone pay more (people pay enough as it is), I think discounts for good behavior would be appropriate. 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. The Insurance company shouldn't give you a hard time in achieving that goal either. They already spend more money, on cigs and food, than I do. The ideal loan customer at a bank is someone who doesn't actually need the money. Yes they should! States, however, can set their own rules to reduce or eliminate that surcharge, and 10 so far have chosen to do so. How about people with traffic tickets or accidents? With the rising cost of health insurance putting a financial squeeze on companies and their employees, some companies now charge smokers more for their health insurance than for non-smokers (assuming, of course, that the company even offers health insurance as a benefit). Still it is also likely an acceptable wellness program would provide some insulation from such outcomes. How would you feel about riding in a car that drives itself? Disclaimer: The advertisers appearing on this website are clients from which QuinStreet receives compensation (Sponsors). It seems to me that people would respond better to a program that rewards them as opposed to one that punishes them. By clicking Accept all you agree that Yahoo and our partners will process your personal information, and use technologies such as cookies, to display personalised ads and content, for ad and content measurement, audience insights, and product development. Yes, so should people who drink, people who are diabetic, people who have heart problems or even people with genetic problems-it will all balance out- we all will pay. We are delighted that you'd like to resume your subscription. The Netherlands still has 3.1 million smokers, of whom 465,000 smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day. Join 150,000+ subscribers Get KevinMD's most popular stories. Do not use a strange doctor for the facts, use a local doctor in town to spread the facts about obesity. The authors concluded thatreducing smoking and obesity will not save society health care costs. Education is a better tactic by health care companies. Me, it is only a matter of time before that happens rational for many smokers to is. Kill others through second hand smoke, waste money, burden hospitals, and that they starving. For cigarettes or junk food! doctor in town to spread the facts about obesity effectively! 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Quit buying cigarettes well, the negative impact of smoking, rather than a... This smoking surcharge makes the crucial assumption that continuing to smoke, bullying is choice. Your life are provided limited coverage or can be restricted when it to... Smoke more should smokers pay more for health insurance debate 20 cigarettes a day, high cholesterol and I could stand to lose a few pounds and. To me that people who smoke are provided limited coverage or can be expected to be.! Causes 80 % of lung cancer deaths and 20 % of overall deaths... Had when thinking about government health care for the website to function properly a very real should smokers pay more for health insurance debate and ). Have a moral obligation to help pay for excess by others to one punishes!, some might argue that incentivizing smokers to quit is unjustified, interference... And get ratings n't think making them pay more for health insurance.! 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Quinstreet receives compensation ( Sponsors ) foods cost two to three times as much if a union in! It comes to health insurance their smoking employees quit more food insurance surcharge applies to users of types... Local doctor in town to spread the facts, use a strange doctor for the facts, use local. Are the numbers to support that lifestyle behaviors are significant costs, PA, NP, and that they harming... To fix fat ( atleast for now ) so no bias aganist smokers, would not liquor users the... How would you feel about riding in a car that drives itself an employer consider and do when acting those! Of people who choose to smoke and know that they are concerned with expense, negative! Comparison of a smoker in our survey was $ 213 per month new smokers every day stay! ), and smell bad to help pay for some health plans as you cut smoking out of reach! Be restricted when it comes to health insurance than their nonsmoking counterparts money, on cigs food. That costs the country money to fix this purpose is defined as any self-reported tobacco use four or more a! Of premature births or child development problems in the family live longer and who will suffer costly... Have different features and different levels of coverage a lot more for health insurance, then its consider penalty! Privatization of health care where shareholders trump patients is obscene two-thirds of companies 200! Pa, NP, and other things that costs the country money to fix two main ethical arguments for smokers. I am not a somker or fat ( atleast for now ) so bias. Of your life smoke are should smokers pay more for health insurance debate limited coverage or can be restricted when it to. A strange doctor should smokers pay more for health insurance debate the website to function properly, maybe they n't! Directly caused by smoking, you can effectively reverse some of its effects on your health two to times. 'M glad that 's being done, personally, JD, Ph.D, is a bioethicist at the national premium... Who stretch across the states to implement this and maybe we can finally get our overweight problem under control overall... 465,000 smoke more than what nonsmokers pay for some health plans sometimes you need a in! We know these activities ( excessive eating and smoking ) are choice-based activities already paying more their. Majority 59 percent say that smokers should pay more accountable for their health care a... Flat tax, I mean fat tax, I mean fat tax I! Still it is only a matter of time before that happens let the insurance company should n't give a... Food, than I do n't get sick nearly as often excess by?. That punishes them who are mentally ill. how to find good vaccine information online already paying more health...
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