Obamacare and obesity

Annamarie3404
Annamarie3404 Posts: 319 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Should insurance companies reduce the amount of premiums or even the co-pays people owe based on weightloss? or diabetes management? They should decrease them if you are living a healthy lifestyle...or so one would think. I wish we could get that kind of incentive.
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Replies

  • dandelyon
    dandelyon Posts: 620 Member
    My insurance supposedly does, but as long as you look like you're making an effort on paper you get the discount. You don't have to actually improve your healthy lifestyle, the only thing you HAVE to do is get a wellness exam every year.
  • mlanders22
    mlanders22 Posts: 140 Member
    The company I work for gives us health care incentives as part of our health insurance package.
    If we fall into a healthy range in 2 of 3 categories (BMI, cholesterol, blood pressure) we get $12.50 a paycheck. You can also get the reward by enrolling in a health coaching program if you do not currently meet any of the healthy ranges.
  • madhatter2013
    madhatter2013 Posts: 1,547 Member
    Life insurance calculates your premium based on a number of factors including your weight. Health insurance is a completely different animal and, IMO, Obamacare has made it worse. That being said, helth insurance is that same for everyone, reletavely, no matter your weight. This being because if you go to the docotr for a cold, it doesn't get better faster if your thin rather than fat. Broken bones would be the same issue. No matter the weight you are, if your leg is broken, a cast is still needed so you'll pay the same amount. Life insurance is different because tghose companies policies state that if you are obese, you're more likely to pass on from the weight issue itself than someone who is of a healthy BMI range. A lot of companies do their own wellness program that does give you dicsounts or lowers your premium based on the helthy choices you claim to make.
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    First of all, its not Obamacare. It is the Affordable Health Care Act. This erks me more than anything.

    Anyhoo, before the AHCA was enacted many insurance companies were doing those incentive programs in regards to smoker vs non-smoker, healthy weight range, etc.

    How you care for yourself now is a good indication of how much your insurance costs will be in the future. This has been the case for a long, long time.
  • Annamarie3404
    Annamarie3404 Posts: 319 Member
    Companies could even offer a 'free' month as well as knocking our co-pays back to what they were prior to the beginning of the year to those who are within weight range. Just some kind of monetary incentive would help out a lot.
  • MeganAnne89
    MeganAnne89 Posts: 271 Member
    As a Canadian pretty much everything a lot of Americans says about "Obamacare" confuses me to no end.

    I will never understand why people will be against affordable health care for everyone. It just baffles me.

    **EDIT - I wasn't clear enough when I made this comment. I meant it as a statement towards the people who just don't want health care for everyone. It was meant as a blanket statement. Obviously I understand that there are circumstances in place that's making it extremely difficult for a lot of people to have affordable healthcare, I do get that.

    I really was just references the people that are opposed to health care for all in general.
  • occupysmithmachine
    occupysmithmachine Posts: 49
    Should health care insurance function like mal-practice or car insurance? Sure some people will get sick while others are always perfectly healthy, but some people who would otherwise not have had any preventative medicine (and therefore use emergency and more expensive services that never get paid ) might be more healthy and end up contributing more to society in the long run.
  • Annamarie3404
    Annamarie3404 Posts: 319 Member
    This isn't an arguement about free healthcare...it's not 'free', in fact. It's about whether health insurance companies should allow for some monetary breaks to people who are trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
  • mommyrunning
    mommyrunning Posts: 495 Member
    As a Canadian pretty much everything a lot of Americans says about "Obamacare" confuses me to no end.

    I will never understand why people will be against affordable health care for everyone. It just baffles me.

    It is because unfortunately most people only know what they see on the news about the Affordable Care Act which is often slanted and tainted by politics. Also, it's a change and change scares people. I think in time people will see that it's a good program. It's not perfect but it is a good start.
  • MeganAnne89
    MeganAnne89 Posts: 271 Member
    This isn't an arguement about free healthcare...it's not 'free', in fact. It's about whether health insurance companies should allow for some monetary breaks to people who are trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

    No one said it was 'free'?
  • MeganAnne89
    MeganAnne89 Posts: 271 Member
    As a Canadian pretty much everything a lot of Americans says about "Obamacare" confuses me to no end.

    I will never understand why people will be against affordable health care for everyone. It just baffles me.

    It is because unfortunately most people only know what they see on the news about the Affordable Care Act which is often slanted and tainted by politics. Also, it's a change and change scares people. I think in time people will see that it's a good program. It's not perfect but it is a good start.

    I agree.

    When I first heard about it I was amazed because I feel that everyone deserves a decent chance at the same kind of health care I'm privy to and I think it's a shame that there are people who have nothing and can't even afford to go for a checkup.

    Side note - I bet it's FOX news they're getting their info from lol
  • kconrad1712
    kconrad1712 Posts: 36 Member
    My job offers wellness incentives. If our "numbers" (weight, BP, cholesterol, etc.) either fall into healthy ranges or are improved since last year, we get $50 off of our monthly premiums for the next insurance year. Employers are starting to move to these incentives because encouraging employees will reduce their costs in the long run (less sick days, less doctor visits, etc.).
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    As a Canadian pretty much everything a lot of Americans says about "Obamacare" confuses me to no end.

    I will never understand why people will be against affordable health care for everyone. It just baffles me.

    Disliking the ACA does not mean you are against affordable health care for everyone. There are lots of things about the bill that people don't like, and the reason varies from person to person. The "against affordable health care" argument that people here in the US like to use is a straw man to try to make those who disagree with it appear to lack compassion. The issue is way more complex than that.
  • Annamarie3404
    Annamarie3404 Posts: 319 Member
    Kconrad, I wish ours did the same! THANK YOU for staying on topic!!!
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    That would be cool.

    It would also be GREAT if women of childbearing age could save $ on insurance premiums by proving their husband had a vasectomy. I suppose there is that percentage of times it fails though, and of course some women cheat...but I still think it would be awesome for me to not have to pay higher rates!
  • paulawatkins1974
    paulawatkins1974 Posts: 720 Member
    As a Canadian pretty much everything a lot of Americans says about "Obamacare" confuses me to no end.

    I will never understand why people will be against affordable health care for everyone. It just baffles me.
    It peeves me that our neighbours to the South have to pay for health care. Totally not fair. If they get reallt sick they can have HUGE problems.
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,820 Member
    It's interesting, life insurance in Massachusetts had to be the same price for both men and woman because it was seen as discriminatory to give a woman a cheaper policy even though they lived longer. If that is a precedent, it's discrimination. But I am taking my $600 a year savings for being healthy and the $400 rebate for gym and race fees.
  • harvo
    harvo Posts: 4,676 Member
    First and foremost insurance companies do not control the incentives or benefits being offered to you. It is either state regulated or determined by the benefits coordinator at your company.
  • MeganAnne89
    MeganAnne89 Posts: 271 Member
    As a Canadian pretty much everything a lot of Americans says about "Obamacare" confuses me to no end.

    I will never understand why people will be against affordable health care for everyone. It just baffles me.
    It peeves me that our neighbours to the South have to pay for health care. Totally not fair. If they get reallt sick they can have HUGE problems.

    Same here, I just wish it would be affordable for everyone and not necessary based on whatever company you're with.

    And yes, sorry, I strayed off topic up there.

    But regardless, I agree that would be awesome. Hell, I wish my own personal health care gave me a bonus for not being overweight
  • PeaceLoveTrees
    PeaceLoveTrees Posts: 42 Member
    Thank you to the person who said it's the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and not Obamacare! :-)


    To offer incentives to people who are "healthier" or who have "lost weight" we would have to make weight a pre-existing condition again, and the ACA wrote out all pre-existing conditions except for smoking. So sure, it's a great thought, but that's not how you create a stable health care system which is what we are trying to accomplish. Such medical conditions were what locked people out of getting insurance in the first place, because it was too expensive after you add in all the health issues.

    I think more employers should offer wellness classes and cover more of your cost if you complete them, lose x amount of weight, etc. It'd be a great way to get more people to care about their health. But putting those costs back in the hands of the insurance companies wouldn't be a good idea from my point of view.
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,010 Member
    As a Canadian pretty much everything a lot of Americans says about "Obamacare" confuses me to no end.

    I will never understand why people will be against affordable health care for everyone. It just baffles me.

    I dont think most of us are against affordable health care for everyone. What we are against is it being run by the government (they can't run any program effectively), requiring things that aren't necessary in plans etc.
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    Traditional insurance "incentivizes" people by how much you pay them, based on age, sex, location, health conditions, past family health conditions, etc. The bad part is, insurance companies could easily just not cover anyone they felt were a risk and couldn't make good money on. Obamacare is supposed to remove some of the equation so everyone has access to coverage. The still crappy part of the mix is, it is essentially group coverage for the US, where rates only favor those who have major issues, and everyone in decent or good health foot most the bill.

    Where I work, we get cash back if you do health tests each year for smoking and for general medical (full physical). We get back up to $400 a year.
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,010 Member
    That would be cool.

    It would also be GREAT if women of childbearing age could save $ on insurance premiums by proving their husband had a vasectomy. I suppose there is that percentage of times it fails though, and of course some women cheat...but I still think it would be awesome for me to not have to pay higher rates!

    what about single men that have to have maternity coverage on their policies?
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,323 Member
    The company I work for gives us health care incentives as part of our health insurance package.
    If we fall into a healthy range in 2 of 3 categories (BMI, cholesterol, blood pressure) we get $12.50 a paycheck. You can also get the reward by enrolling in a health coaching program if you do not currently meet any of the healthy ranges.

    they should reevaluate that, i think. BMI is such crap.
    ETA: its a nice incentive though, and at least you have 3 areas in which to qualify.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    That would be cool.

    It would also be GREAT if women of childbearing age could save $ on insurance premiums by proving their husband had a vasectomy. I suppose there is that percentage of times it fails though, and of course some women cheat...but I still think it would be awesome for me to not have to pay higher rates!

    what about single men that have to have maternity coverage on their policies?

    Wow...is that a thing? I didn't realize. At my job, I sign up single males for insurance and a single man of say, 30 yrs old, pays about 30-40% less on his insurance than a single female of the same age.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    As a Canadian pretty much everything a lot of Americans says about "Obamacare" confuses me to no end.

    I will never understand why people will be against affordable health care for everyone. It just baffles me.

    Because there's a big difference between affordable health care and affordable health insurance.

    The second does not do anything to bring the first about.

    Plus, now that the proof is in the pudding, it turns out that the insurance isn't quite as affordable as many people thought it would be ...
  • MeganAnne89
    MeganAnne89 Posts: 271 Member
    As a Canadian pretty much everything a lot of Americans says about "Obamacare" confuses me to no end.

    I will never understand why people will be against affordable health care for everyone. It just baffles me.

    I dont think most of us are against affordable health care for everyone. What we are against is it being run by the government (they can't run any program effectively), requiring things that aren't necessary in plans etc.

    Sorry, I should've been more clear.

    By my saying "a lot of Americans" I was really just talking about the ones who are opposed to healthcare for everyone. It was meant more as a blanket statement -- and that's who I was referring to in my second sentence
  • harvo
    harvo Posts: 4,676 Member
    As a Canadian pretty much everything a lot of Americans says about "Obamacare" confuses me to no end.

    I will never understand why people will be against affordable health care for everyone. It just baffles me.

    Because there's a big difference between affordable health care and affordable health insurance.

    The second does not do anything to bring the first about.

    I am confused about what you are saying care to expand on your thought please?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    This isn't an arguement about free healthcare...it's not 'free', in fact. It's about whether health insurance companies should allow for some monetary breaks to people who are trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

    The premiums of the healthy go to pay the care for the sick...that's how it works and why one would not get any kind of substantial break for living a healthy lifestyle. Insurance companies need healthy people enrolled who don't visit doctors and what not in order to cover the care of the sick.
  • LilynEdensmom
    LilynEdensmom Posts: 612 Member
    If it were really affordable, I'd be more than happy to call it the affordable care act...but our company stopped providing insurance and b/c I live in a state that didn't expand mediciad I was left up a poop creek...or pay over 200 a month for a very very small plan for just myself, so I'm back to no insurance....but anyway discounts for healthy living would be nice.

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