“(with possible adjustments for smokers, but not much else).”
How about “possible adjustments” for those with a family history of diabetes, heart disease, obesity, sickle cell anemia, leukemia, breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, kidney disease,tay sachs, glaucoma, and every other malady? F this demonization and isolation of smokers.
Smoking is Optional. Those other things you mentioned, family histories of diseases, are involuntary. Now things like being overweight and not getting exercise, those are also voluntary. If statistics show that people’s behavioral choices lead to increased health cost, I think it’s perfectly fine that insurance companies charge them more.
I was just talking to my neighbor, he is on disability, has had lung cancer, and now has COPD. And he was chain-smoking As I was talking to him. Now taxpayers are forced to pay for his medical, and he’s not doing a thing to make it any cheaper. In fact, his choices have led to taxpayers having to pay a fortune for his care, As well as his disability payments. There should be some kind of repercussions, but he just gets a bunch of free handouts because of his own choices.