Why Punishing Junk Food Munchers Assaults Personal Freedom

Is it a personal freedom that healthy people in a health insurance group have to pay higher premiums to cover the cost of the unhealthy people in the group? Stated differently, is another person's personal freedom to be irresponsible with their health (and thus medical expenses) the reason people who take responsibility to be healthy have to pay more for their health insurance?

A frequently quoted reason for invading people's liberties.

"Your use of insurance raises my insurance premiums. Therefore you have to stop what you're doing that's causing you to use insurance."

How the companies must laugh when they watch us turn on each other because they're screwing us over.

Sick people really raise the cost of insurance. As does advertising costs. And the exorbitant salaries of the executive board. Do we attack and try to ban these issues? No. We go after each other.

Do we want to live in a nation where smoking is universally outlawed? Where the only food option is health food? Where citizens are required to spend a certain amount of time in the gym and it's all regulated and monitored by the government and large corporations?

I know I don't. If that means some people smoke, some people are fat, and my insurance is a few bucks higher than it would be otherwise, well I'm willing to pay that price to feel like I'm free to live my life as I see fit.

As long as you keep taking your Soma you won't care where you live...

Is it a personal freedom that healthy people in a health insurance group have to pay higher premiums to cover the cost of the unhealthy people in the group? Stated differently, is another person's personal freedom to be irresponsible with their health (and thus medical expenses) the reason people who take responsibility to be healthy have to pay more for their health insurance?

I am personally so tired of this trope. First, if you look at many studies, increased costs over time are more than offset by earlier death rates for smokers and the obese. Secondly, the whole point of insurance is to spread the risk--the obese person may have a higher risk of diabetes and heart disease, the person who competes in extreme sports has a higher risk of serious injury/disability. The risk is spread over the entire pool, and I am not willing to give up my freedom to possibly save a few pennies. I find it sad that so many people are already giving up freedoms (i.e. "voluntary" health screening/monitoring by health insurance companies, driving with a black box for car insurance companies, etc.) At the end of the day, whatever pittance you save is nothing compared to the increase in profits for the insurance company, so don't think you are doing them any favors.

Grownups should be free to make their own decisions about their food, I want to eat healthy, but not because I am taxed into it, that's demeaning and disempowering.

I feel the same way about Beluga caviar. I want to give my dog the highest quality fish eggs, but it's kinda expensive, and then I feel bad because I don't make the decision that would make me happiest. Makes me angry. I should be free to do what I want!

I actually don't mind this idea. I live in NYC and I'm kind of disappointed that Bloomberg's soda ban was shot down. Specifically, fat people in New York City take up more room on the subway and less people can sit down. -.-

I don't think it's fair that healthy people should pay for sick, obese people when their sickness is their own fault. Between insurance costs and taxes, I don't want to pay for the health problems of fat people who make poor food choices. It's not personal freedom if it affects others negatively.

You're right to ask, it was a study I read years ago and now for the life of me I can't find it. So without evidence to backup my claim I withdraw my statement. I keep looking but it's hard to sort through all the articles that just blame obesity/smoking without taking other factors into account.

Always ask for evidence folks.

My logic is that obese people make themselves sick, so it's their fault. No one gives themselves cancer (except smokers), so it's not their fault. If I smoked and consumed immense amounts of sugary drinks and processed foods, giving myself lung cancer and diabetes, I wouldn't expect others to pay for it.

Also, I'd love to live in a place where people can't blow smoke all over my face as I'm walking down the street.

And soda companies making more money due to the NYC soda ban? That's false because the soda ban never happened. It's officially been shot down.