Interesting Article

that's a tough call. its hard to tell WHY ppl are overweight in SOME cases. in a few cases its medical/genetic related.

i am just personally tired of ppl saying health care stinks,its not really the system just the cost but when ppl run up the costs b/c of their unhealthiness (it really doesn't have to be a weight thing either some thinner ppl are just as unhealth) that it seems unfair to others who do not get a break for doing what their dr. tells them to get well and stay healthy.

i can't remember when but a few years back a dr. was just so fed up with telling a woman that she will never get any better with her problems unless she lost weight and lived a healthier lifestyle. she would come in several times a month with a new complaint or want a pill for reoccurring complaints. the dr. was so fed up he pretty much told her if she stayed fat there was nothing he could do for her. yeah not really nice to call your patient fat but she SUED HIM AND WON!! millions paid out b/c she refused to take his dr orders to help her live better.

they pay a ton in insurance themselves b/c of lawsuits like this and it turns around and costs us. its just more then bad dr. and faulty system some of it is good drs. have to transfer their costs on to us just to make a living in a private practice.

i would want more stupid ppl like above to pay higher premiums or those just to lazy to want to do it the right way then those that are just simply overweight. overweight or not if you chose to live unhealthy lifestyle and you keep getting sick why should i have to share the wealth out of my pocket and pay for it. screw them i am at least trying to keep a healthy lifestyle but its getting harder to afford it so where is our bailout for making the attempts and successes for doing it the right way.

in a matter of speaking there is more to the topic for me then simply overweight being risky.smoking another touchy subject but i am going with a yes,b/c dammit it says on the box that you will get sick. IF they want to quit or do quit then i think they should get a break and if successful at quitting(6 years for me) then they should have lowered premiums then. leave open an incentive for ppl to want to be healthy and maybe they will learn something from it.

kassia
 
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32306655/ns/health-health_care/ns/health-health_care/

Do you think people who are overweight, smoke, etc should pay higher premiums for health insurance? I never actually thought about this before. People who drive sports cars pay more in auto insurance because they're seen as "risky"; do you think it should be applied to the healthcare industry as well?
I think smokers should pay more (rather than just having non-smokers get a break...though it seems like the same thing, I think the message is a bit different).

For the overweight, that's sticky. If it's some genetic or medical disorder, then no, but it's hard to regulate (how do you distinguish the "fat because they eat bad food and don't move around enough" from the "fat because they have some underlying disorder"? ) I'm afraid the health-care industry would find some way to raise a lot of people's policies with that (like if they based it on the body mass index, which would include people who are healthy, but heavier because carrying more muscle mass in the 'overweight' category).
 
Yup, sure do. That already exists to some extent. And it's the same with life insurance - if you have a risky career (steelworker, stunt person, etc) you have much higher premiums because your liklihood of dying in an accident is higher. I'm just sick of people not taking responsibility for themselves and then acting surprised when they get sick later. It frankly pisses me off. No one has to be perfect, but no one should weigh 600 pounds either.
 
With DH's old insurance, we received a "tobacco credit" for non-smokers so we paid less than people who smoked. I have seen some insurance companies who also give you discounts for being at a healthy weight, but I'm not sure how that is done. Same with the tobacco credit, really, it was all on the honor system.

Erica
 
All of here make a monetary investment in our health every time we purchase a Cathe DVD, new piece of exercise equipment, healthy food, etc. We also make a time investment every morning we get up early to exercise, use our lunch for walks or squeeze in a workout after a long day at work and we also try to eat clean most of the time. Why shouldn't we be rewarded by the insurance companies for our investment, obviously we do benefit from a healthy lifestyle just by feeling good everyday but shouldn't we get some monetary compensation as well. If you want to sleep in and eat cheezy nachos after work and watch TV fine, but it most likely is going to catch up to you and you should have to pay.

It does make me mad that my good friend who is a year younger than me but 200 pounds heavier than me pays the same, not that I want her lifestyle since she has spent the last 5 years in out of doctor's offices and hospitals. EVERY time I talk to her she has another new medical problem, she seriously thinks it is old age but she is only 33!!! Folks that try to be healthy should be rewarded somehow. Basically you have x dollars, you can use those $$s for healthy reasons (exercise "stuff", good healthy food) or you can pay the insurance company more.
 
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All of here make a monetary investment in our health every time we purchase a Cathe DVD, new piece of exercise equipment, healthy food, etc. We also make a time investment every morning we get up early to exercise, use our lunch for walks or squeeze in a workout after a long day at work and we also try to eat clean most of the time. Why shouldn't we be rewarded by the insurance companies for our investment, obviously we do benefit from a healthy lifestyle just by feeling good everyday but shouldn't we get some monetary compensation as well. If you want to sleep in and eat cheezy nachos after work and watch TV fine, but it most likely is going to catch up to you and you should have to pay..

On the other hand, I do see many, many people who end up seeking a lot of medical care for overuse and other injuries as a result of their exercise routines. I've seen runners have knee surgery for injuries that allow them a good quality of life, but they need the surgery only to continue to run. Physical therapy and/or surgery may be needed for workout-related injuries and many injuries are chronic and require a lot of care. Also, what about injuries from skiing, rollerblading, skateboarding, etc? Should individuals who participate in activities that are higher risk pay more as well?

Erica
 
On the other hand, I do see many, many people who end up seeking a lot of medical care for overuse and other injuries as a result of their exercise routines. I've seen runners have knee surgery for injuries that allow them a good quality of life, but they need the surgery only to continue to run. Physical therapy and/or surgery may be needed for workout-related injuries and many injuries are chronic and require a lot of care. Also, what about injuries from skiing, rollerblading, skateboarding, etc? Should individuals who participate in activities that are higher risk pay more as well?

Erica

Good point. I still feel those that try to stay healthy should be compensated somehow - just for some added incentive if nothing else. I don't work in the medical field and I don't know the stats, but I wonder what the percentage of medical care is for obesity related illnesses vs. excessive sports related injuries - basically where are the $$s going and what is taking up the most time and money?
 

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