Lawmakers delay vote on bill charging obese employees more for healthcare

[BethFromVA 5]

Lawmakers delay vote on bill charging obese employees more for healthcare | WCBD

[plain 12]

Lawmakers delay vote on bill charging obese employees more for healthcare | WCBD

Tip of the iceberg, my friend. The day is coming when weight (specifically BMI) will be regulated the same way smoking is.

They'll point to the higher cost of communal healthcare as a way to justify this. In a way, I kind of understand it, but.....whatever happened to living in America?

[TQUAD64 9]

I like the concept of rewarding people for maintaining a healthy life. Perhaps an end of the year premium refund!

[plain 12]

I like the concept of rewarding people for maintaining a healthy life. Perhaps an end of the year premium refund!

Yes, I like the idea of rewarding healthy lifestyles too....it's just that I don't see a "great" way to do that. Plenty of unhealthy folks with normal BMI's, etc. How would YOU benchmark, tquad?

[BethFromVA 5]

It's already happening.

My mom was on an insurance plan before Medicaid kicked in where they asked her weight (she had gained about five years before then but certainly nowhere like where I was) and they charged her an upcharge for being outside the weight range they wanted.

[TQUAD64 9]

Yes, I like the idea of rewarding healthy lifestyles too....it's just that I don't see a "great" way to do that. Plenty of unhealthy folks with normal BMI's, etc. How would YOU benchmark, tquad?

Not sure Plain, but I am open to suggestions, so what do you suggest?

[miztrniceguy 1]

how about a discount on next years premium to those who don't use the insurance much...ie: if you don't need to go to the dr your insurance doesn't have to pay out as much.

of course, this wouldn't apply to me with my 5 surgeries in 2008

[plain 12]

Not bad niceguy.....I'm just afraid that in a backwards way, that would turn into charging people more that *do* use the insurance. I guess you can tell I'm a little cynical about the insurance companies. I'm glad I'm not the "healthcare" czar.

Edited February 13, 2009 by plain

[miztrniceguy 1]

yeah...i'm afraid it would end up costing me more, too...my ins went up 30% this year

[BethFromVA 5]

I know this is a totally different topic, but if we quit giving free medical help to the illegals, WE could afford OUR insurance. That WE pay for. :ohmy:

[gingerbug 3]

I think it is worth noting that there are a lot of people making a lot of money off people being obese. The diet industry itself rakes in billions each year, the drug companies do as well. If we were all fit and healthy, we would not need all those meds and equipment to deal with out co-morbidities. I am not suggesting that we blame McDonalds or the drug companies, or the diet industry for making and keeping us fat. I firmly believe in a line between outward infulences and personal responsibility. Where that line falls is the question. the insurance companies want to raise premiums for those who are obese but dont want to pay out for weight related services and programs. It seems back-@ssward.