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AShould Smokers Have to Pay More for Health Insurance?

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  • DerivePI #3494
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    #1 • !Report
    "Translation for Dummies" - Should you be responsible for the choices you make?
  • Litdes #7357
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    #2 • !Report
    Of course, insurance is risk management, and smoking poses a greater liability.
  • AceLuby #5068
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    #3 • !Report
    Our company already charges a surcharge for smokers and I have no issue with that. If you don't like to pay the higher premiums, quit smoking. Unfortunately I think this will ultimately end up a money grab by the insurance companies and won't help ease the burden for those of us who make healthier choices.
  • crusader #1784
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    #4 • !Report
    Possibly but what about other health risks. Such as overweight, high stress jobs, poor eating habits, alcoholic and etc, etc.
  • jessejaymes #9568
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    #5 • !Report
    I don't smoke tobacco and I don't allow it in my home. Having said that I will support additional charge for tobacco smokers about the same time as we triple the health care insurance for the obese. Since the AMA says obesity is the single worst PREVENTABLE killer in America. Worse than Tobacco. Why don't we start with Numero Uno as the place to get our ducks lined up on Health care?
  • Thunderchicken #2675
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    #6 • !Report
    I already would if I smoked. My health insurance has been structured like this for many years.
  • Zazziness #13148
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    #7 • !Report
    What a great way to see to it some people die slow, agonizing deaths from untreated cancer. This is NOT the way to go.
  • Knight80 #18290
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    #8 • !Report
    Should be other options for this question. It's a slippery slope to play because you would have to wonder what was next. If you drink alcohol - it goes up. If you eat hamburgers and hotdogs - it goes up. Etc.... You will have insurance companies and work places in general making their own rules up on what you can and can't do or you insurance will be more.
  • BossTweed #21616
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    #9 • !Report
    Of course, Under the ACA, ALL non Union families except for Bureaucrats and Politicians, will pay WAY more for less. Very Orwellian. Very Pelosi. Pay up Suckers!
  • Zazziness #13148
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    #10 • !Report
    jessejaymes wrote: #5
    q
    I don't smoke tobacco and I don't allow it in my home. Having said that I will support additional charge for tobacco smokers about the same time as we triple the health care insurance for the obese. Since the AMA says obesity is the single worst PREVENTABLE killer in America. Worse than Tobacco....
    Let's not forget alcohol can have a huge negative impact on health. So as long as we're trying to force people to "be healthy," everyone who ever takes a drink goes on the list of higher insurance rates.
  • Zazziness #13148
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    #11 • !Report
    Knight80 wrote: #8
    q
    Should be other options for this question. It's a slippery slope to play because you would have to wonder what was next. If you drink alcohol - it goes up. If you eat hamburgers and hotdogs - it goes up. Etc.... You will have insurance companies and work places in general making their own ru...
    How long before exercise is mandatory?
  • Arumizy #18976
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    #12 • !Report
    Should professional cliff jumpers, dynamite tossers and bungie jumpers have to? If you do something, on more then a rare occasiona that could have a huge detriment to your health then yes you shoudl pay more.Take responsibility for your actions people and stop expecting to be treated like you do not do something.
  • AlexMIA #17472
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    #13 • !Report
    I thought Obamacare was supposed to make insurance affordable for everybody? How can you bypass pre-existing conditions so everyone can have affordable healthcare then talk about risk management where smokers are concerned? Will some of these states do the same thing with their legalized pot smokers? and to what level? I think I liked it better when I could choose if I wanted my own individual policy for about $160 a month at my age.
  • Yank #7079
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    #14 • !Report
    crusader wrote: #4
    q
    Possibly but what about other health risks. Such as overweight, high stress jobs, poor eating habits, alcoholic and etc, etc.
    Smoking (and smokers) has been demonized to the point where people are willing to over look such discrepancies. The obese cost far more then smokers.
  • Russell797 #12500
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    #15 • !Report
    Unlike smoking which is a chosen behaviour, being overweight is a condition caused by a multitude of reasons. The decision to smoke is made in direct defiance of medical advise which insists one shouldn’t smoke. The smoker is intentionally adding to the cost of medical care just like anyone else engaging in high risk behaviour.
  • BelinKS #18015
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    #16 • !Report
    When my husband started smoking, there were not all these things saying smoking is bad for you. No warnings, no warning labels, and hardly any doctor would say anything about smoking. On the contrary, the cigarette companies claimed smoking cigarettes were good for your vitality!
  • RealityOne #10131
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    #17 • !Report
    I quit smoking 13 yrs ago....tobacco smoke makes me sick now. Still I suppose I could still suffer the effects...what would I pay?

    But until the late 1970s smoking was considered reasonably healthy, and in the 40s 50s and 60s it was practically a universal habit. Just listen to some old Lucky Strikes commericials. You'll hear things like "deep down smoking enjoyment" "Light up a lucky" to relax...(you deserve it)......"never a rough puff".......on radio, TV, magazines, billboards.....I think that many people initially smoked without being educated....they were mislead. misinformed, and propagandized. There needs to be some consideration of this.
  • DerivePI #3494
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    #18 • !Report
    jessejaymes wrote: #5
    q
    I don't smoke tobacco and I don't allow it in my home. Having said that I will support additional charge for tobacco smokers about the same time as we triple the health care insurance for the obese. Since the AMA says obesity is the single worst PREVENTABLE killer in America. Worse than Tobacco....
    Totally agree. There are even some successful insurance programs that "reward" people who exercise and lose weight.
  • jessejaymes #9568
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    #19 • !Report
    Zazziness wrote: #10
    q
    Let's not forget alcohol can have a huge negative impact on health. So as long as we're trying to force people to "be healthy," everyone who ever takes a drink goes on the list of higher insurance rates.
    @Zazziness I don't drink alcohol either. I have no objection to what you say but I do remind you that the AMA says 95% of obesity is due to laziness, overeating, fast food and sugar. Fat is not beautiful. It's killing this nation. We're a bunch of porkers.
  • MarkJM #1034
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    #20 • !Report
    Yes, and if you don't want to pay more, then quit. I quit years ago, best thing I have ever done. I don't get sick as often (which has saved me hundreds in healthcare costs alone), can actually taste and enjoy my food, have more energy throughout the day, I could go on and on about the positives of quitting smoking. It is proven that smokers are sick more often and their illnesses are more complicated. I don't care if one smokes as I used to, but if that smoker doesn't want to quit, then he/she should be made to pay the extra in difference in healthcare costs, not those who have quit or never smoked to begin with.

Comments 1 to 20 of 147