Posted on 07/20/2006 4:35:25 AM PDT by rdax
A new WSJ.com/Harris health-care poll indicates growing U.S. support for charging higher insurance premiums or out-of-pockets medical costs to people with unhealthy lifestyles.
The online survey of 2,325 U.S. adults found that 53% of Americans think it is fair to ask people with unhealthy lifestyles to pay higher insurance premiums than people with healthy lifestyles, while 32% said it would be unfair. When asked the same question in 2003, 37% said it would be fair, while 45% said it would be unfair. Healthy lifestyles were described as not smoking, exercising frequently and controlling one's weight.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Heck, what about discounts for people who live healthy and can prove it?
What about risky lifestyles of sky-divers, mountain climbers, gay men?
I can see a certain amount of that, but as far as exercising and eating a healthy diet? How does an insurance company measure that without a certain degree of subjectivity that would end them up in court?
Fair enough. Raise my rates. But lower my homeowners insurance since I don't live in Florida. I don't want in their homeowners pool, any more than non-smokers in Florida want in my health insurance pool.
How about doin' the bone dance with Mr. Sphincter? Is that healthy?
FMCDH(BITS)
Politicians?
Simple. If you eat anything other than tofu, you're not eating healthy. That will be the standard.
ROFLMAO
My pilot's license has already cost me some $$$ on my life insurance.
Several years ago, I was shopping around for a health insurance policy. While explaining the coverage the agent told me about the alcoholism benefit. I could get 30 days inpatient treatment if I was an alcoholic. I asked to have that coverage removed since there was no chance I would ever need it. The company said they couldn't do it because the insurance commission required them to make this coverage a part of every health policy.
Yeah, I've always suspected those insurance commissions were guilty of collusion with insurance companies.
Leave me alone you nosey frumps, I'll live my life the way I want, you do the same!
How do you prove it?
I am totally in favor of this.
If someone wants to ride their motorcycle without a helmet, let him know that his benefits will be cut. No seat belt? Lower benefits that those that do.
You smoke? Your benefits get lowered. You are obese? Lower benefits.
Not hard to figure out what is sinking our health care system.
It's time we stopped the free lunch.
Is bungee jumping unhealthy lifestyle? And how do the insurers find out my hobbies? And for the ladies, is jabbering about absolutely nothing on your cell phone while driving... is this an unhealthy life style?
That's up to the insurance companies to decide. When insurance companies compete, the consumers win.
Oh really? Who is gonna decide what is a "healthy lifestyle?"
It is a triumvirate, actually. don't forget the lawyers!
Tagline... I am a bicyclist with >40K miles experience, good? I also deny the efficacy of bicycle helmets, bad? I have exceptional occupational WBE, bad? JHU study says significant positive correlation with good health, good? I carried a gun and will again. Good or bad? Tagline, beware of who agrees with you since they may be idiots.
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