Poll: Risk Factors, Positive Factors, and the Cost of Health Insurance

[Mike 03]

Poll question: Poll: Risk Factors, Positive Factors, and the Cost of Health Insurance

My mother pays a fortune for her health insurance because she has several risk factors. As much as I love her, I am conflicted about whether or not this constitutes actual discrimination or is just rational. What I have not heard of, in health insurance, is cutting the cost for people who go that extra yard to attempt to maintain their health.

Where do you stand on this?

[peacebird]

1. choice one is quite bad. What if you eat well, exercise regularly, and still get cancer?

What if you eat well, exercise, and develop muscular dystrophy? people can do everything "right" and still get sick.
Also - what if you work hard and try to eat right, but have to hold two jobs to make ends meet, so you don't have time or money for the gym? Then again WHO is going to judge whether you are indeed eating right and working out so that you can get the lower rates?
It seems a bit self-righteous and small minded to me.
fwiw - I prefer everyone have coverage at the same cost.

[LaurenG]

2. We should all pay the same and all get the same care

It's hideous to think that anyone should be allowed to die for lack of medical treatment.

[bemildred]

3. Insurance is all about pooled risk.

There is really nothing else you need to know. Once you start being selective about who gets insurance, you are no longer pooling the risk, you are trying to get money from people at lower risk, i.e. it's all about the money. I have no problem with private health insurance as such, but they ALL ought to be compelled to take anyone. IF they are all compelled to take anyone, I would also support government funding for those unable to pay, to ensure that everyone is covered and in the insurance pool.

But single payer tax-funded public health care is simpler, and then you can use the insurance companies as administrators, if you want to keep the public payroll down.

And you really have to regulate the cost of health care services. It's not an irrelevant private enterprise, like a casino or something.