New company policy penalizing smokers and the obese
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Elizabeth_C34
Posts: 6,376 Member
I saw this article today about companies charging smokers and the obese extra on their health insurance premiums. Our company started this policy on smokers last year. The charge is $50 per month extra for smokers at my workplace.
What do you think?
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Elizabeth_C34/view/365-meals-project-2-honey-glazed-salmon-and-squash-170200
What do you think?
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Elizabeth_C34/view/365-meals-project-2-honey-glazed-salmon-and-squash-170200
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Replies
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Do not like.
Do we really want insurance companies and the places we work judging us on how we choose to live and billing us accordingly?
I know the opposing arguments, they're weak at best. "Hey my health insurance premiums shoudn't go up because YOU smoke!" Here's the truth. You know what saves health insurance companies money really? Dead people. They don't need medicine or doctors appointments. Smokers cost insurance companies LESS because they die sooner. Sure they may need a treatment or two before they kick, but it still costs much less than a person living into their 80's or 90's. Those are decades people spend just racking up charges to their health insurance.
Don't buy the hype. They're just looking for ways to raise prices while pushing the blame onto the consumer.0 -
They already discount safe drivers on Auto Insurance. People living a healthier life style get better rates on life insurance.
It would be fine with me if it kept costs down. But....will it, or is it just another opportunity to overcharge?0 -
Do not like.
Do we really want insurance companies and the places we work judging us on how we choose to live and billing us accordingly?
I know the opposing arguments, they're weak at best. "Hey my health insurance premiums shoudn't go up because YOU smoke!" Here's the truth. You know what saves health insurance companies money really? Dead people. They don't need medicine or doctors appointments. Smokers cost insurance companies LESS because they die sooner. Sure they may need a treatment or two before they kick, but it still costs much less than a person living into their 80's or 90's. Those are decades people spend just racking up charges to their health insurance.
Don't buy the hype. They're just looking for ways to raise prices while pushing the blame onto the consumer.
Doesn't matter if you buy into it. It's not up for a vote. They are just looking to raise prices, and they are blaming it on the consumers. Your only option is to shop around or pass. IF...if you have the option.
I don't use my company's health insurance, but I still pay for it. Can't opt out, because it is a condition of employment.0 -
They already discount safe drivers on Auto Insurance. People living a healthier life style get better rates on life insurance.
It would be fine with me if it kept costs down. But....will it, or is it just another opportunity to overcharge?
That's kinda what I was thinking. Tobacco users and not-tobacco users are on every life insurance policy.
I think they would get better feedback if they gave discounts to those that are healthy. It wouldn't be viewed so much as raising prices as it would be benefitting those that would cost them less. However, they'd probably have to raise all premiums first making the effect the same.
The article I read mentioned that the increased costs needs to come with options to improve. If you are going to charge someone extra, you have to offer roads to getting over whatever the issue; smoking cessation classes or gym/nutrition classes. Also, some unhealthy things would be more harmful to the person to get rid of and there is usually a place for that as well. Overall, I think this might just give people more incentive to get healthier. Is it right or not...I'm on the fence.0 -
Seems like two seperate issues.
Discrimination. And a ploy for them to rake in more money.
Not sure there's much you can do about it.0 -
Companies who do this get discounts from their insurance providers. Basically--- it costs extra for the company to have employees who smoke and look the other way. So who, really, should foot that extra bill? The company --- or the employee participating in that behavior?0
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Even though I think its a way for the insurance companies to make more money I also kinda agree. Your a bad driver your premiums go up. Now my insurance program at work helps you with programs to help quit smoking and lose weight. Mind you this coming from a fat snuff user.0
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Because I believe in health at every size, I definately disagree with this.0
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The New England Journal of Medicine published a study, which can be found here:
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199710093371506
"Health care costs for smokers at a given age are as much as 40 percent higher than those for nonsmokers, but in a population in which no one smoked the costs would be 7 percent higher among men and 4 percent higher among women than the costs in the current mixed population of smokers and nonsmokers. If all smokers quit, health care costs would be lower at first, but after 15 years they would become higher than at present. In the long term, complete smoking cessation would produce a net increase in health care costs, but it could still be seen as economically favorable under reasonable assumptions of discount rate and evaluation period."0 -
There are a lot of factors included in the determination of health insurance premiums, including lifestyle. When you go for personal (not company) insurance you have to fill out a pretty lengthy questionnaire and the actuaries do their number crunching to formulate your monthly premiums. It’s proven that self insured companies see cost benefits when their employees are healthier (they don’t offer wellness programs with discounts to local healthy clubs or reimbursements on wellness items just because they think it’s a fun cost to incur), because the insurance is used less plain and simple. In an economy where many companies are still struggling, and many employees are struggling due to partner loss of jobs or wage/salary freezes while still seeing inflation, this is just another way for companies to reduce or maintain their costs and attempt to not increase the premiums and therefore burdens to the majority.
Also, and this is speculation, insurance companies are always looking for ways to cut costs and increase profit margin themselves while still trying to stay competitive in the market place. I believe one of the ways they do this is by offering discounts to companies for adopting various programs (wellness for example) and this could be one of those instances.0 -
The New England Journal of Medicine published a study, which can be found here:
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199710093371506
"Health care costs for smokers at a given age are as much as 40 percent higher than those for nonsmokers, but in a population in which no one smoked the costs would be 7 percent higher among men and 4 percent higher among women than the costs in the current mixed population of smokers and nonsmokers. If all smokers quit, health care costs would be lower at first, but after 15 years they would become higher than at present. In the long term, complete smoking cessation would produce a net increase in health care costs, but it could still be seen as economically favorable under reasonable assumptions of discount rate and evaluation period."
BIG thanks to lj for actually taking the time to provide real evidence. Love that, and I should be doing it more often.0 -
at my workplace, they just have you checkmark the box if you are a non-smoker, to get your "discount". Nobody is checking or making sure you actually ARE a non-smoker.
just sayin'0 -
hmmmm0
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at my workplace, they just have you checkmark the box if you are a non-smoker, to get your "discount". Nobody is checking or making sure you actually ARE a non-smoker.
just sayin'
You're not fooling anyone. You better believe the insurance is going to fight tooth and nail if you happen to die from smoking related illness like emphysema or lung cancer. They will not let you get away that easy lol0 -
at my workplace, they just have you checkmark the box if you are a non-smoker, to get your "discount". Nobody is checking or making sure you actually ARE a non-smoker.
just sayin'
You're not fooling anyone. You better believe the insurance is going to fight tooth and nail if you happen to die from smoking related illness like emphysema or lung cancer. They will not let you get away that easy lol
With a little research, if they can prove that you're a smoker they can deny claims and may be able to go after you for fraud.0 -
First they came for the smokers, and I didn't say anything because I'm not a smoker
Then they came for the fatties, and I didn't say anything because I'm not fat
Then they came for me, and by that time all the fun loving, cigarette smoking, fat *kitten* who might have defended me were already gone.0 -
at my workplace, they just have you checkmark the box if you are a non-smoker, to get your "discount". Nobody is checking or making sure you actually ARE a non-smoker.
just sayin'
You're not fooling anyone. You better believe the insurance is going to fight tooth and nail if you happen to die from smoking related illness like emphysema or lung cancer. They will not let you get away that easy lol
I don't smoke! LOL I was just saying that they don't really check. However, you're right, if you developed emphysema or something you know they'd fight against your coverage for sure.0 -
First they came for the smokers, and I didn't say anything because I'm not a smoker
Then they came for the fatties, and I didn't say anything because I'm not fat
Then they came for me, and by that time all the fun loving, cigarette smoking, fat *kitten* who might have defended me were already gone.
this! 0 -
My company has done this for several years for smokers. It's an extra $600 per year if anybody on your plan smokes. BUT they also have a "Will Quit" option where you indicate you will participate in one of the company's cessation programs and receive the non-smokers price for insurance.
I don't think anybody is actually enforcing these things all that hard though. I guess if you go to the doctor and get diagnosed with something that was caused by smoking, that might be a different story.0 -
First they came for the smokers, and I didn't say anything because I'm not a smoker
Then they came for the fatties, and I didn't say anything because I'm not fat
Then they came for me, and by that time all the fun loving, cigarette smoking, fat *kitten* who might have defended me were already gone.
They already come for me, my premiums go up every year without fail. They just go up less because I don't smoke and neither does the hubs.0
