First step toward risk based health care premiums?

[Aggie93]

A new policy by CVS Pharmacy requires every one of its nearly 200,000 employees who use its health plan to submit their weight, body fat, glucose levels and other vitals or pay a monthly fine.

CVS Pharmacy Wants Workers’ Health Information, or They’ll Pay a Fine - ABC News

I've thought for a while that health care insurance premiums will be based on risk. All other insurance is. This is an interesting topic regarding privacy concerns. How much privacy do you deserve when other people are paying for someone else's unhealthily lifestyle.

I admit I have not fully developed how I feel about this, but I think I'm for it. Need to think about the privacy part some more and the slippery slope this would cause. Obviously there would have to be some limits on what factors could be used. As I type this, I'm getting less sure of my stance.

[silverc4s]

Dick Morris: ObamaCare backlash

I know, it's Dick Morris, but seems to be factual.

[Aggie93]

Oh yeah. I somehow forgot health insurance is effectively nationalized.

[wdfifteen]

Dick says, "Obama's real goal, of course, is to destroy employment-related insurance ..."

To which I say, "Excellent!! It's about time."
I'm afraid Dick is wrong again, but I can hope.

[cstreit]

VERY common now.

Usually it's presented backwards. They raise the rates and then give a "discount" when you submit to health testing. ...this is the way 90% of corporations are doing it these days.

I refused.

[Rikao4]

what Chris stated..
wife had to take phys. to enroll..
I didn't...
she must submit lab work when we renew..
high BP / lard tubs / or cholesterol folks get a health counselor..
it's shape up or..

Rika

[wdfifteen]

The problem is that too many people aren't writing the checks for their own health insurance.
When you have your employer between you and the health insurance company you can blame all kinds of things on him - unfair, discriminatory, accessing personal information, blah, blah. If people wrote their own checks and saw that they could save $20 a month by losing 20 pounds they would be a lot more likely to take personal responsibility.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

They're doing it for life insurance also. If you want coverage over a certain amount you need blood work and in some cases, genetic screening.

I'm ok with this. Risk-based insurance rates are fair and sustainable. People are NOT all equal and do NOT pose equal risks to an insurer, dispute the fanciful liberal notion that clamping one's hands over their ears and saying "yes we are yes we are yes we are yes we are" will somehow make it so.

[911SauCy]

Originally Posted by Rikao4

what Chris stated..
wife had to take phys. to enroll..
I didn't...
she must submit lab work when we renew..
high BP / lard tubs / or cholesterol folks get a health counselor..
it's shape up or..

Rika

Nothing wrong with that

Majority of people are down right nasty

[RWebb]

Obamacare will also raise your rates if you drive a sports car

[jcommin]

Employment health insurance will go the way of the dinosaur. It is on the retreat every year. And yes I do see more risk based health care. I really don't like where the health care in this country is heading.

[john70t]

Originally Posted by aggie93

oh yeah. I somehow forgot health insurance is effectively privatized, but nationally required.

fify

[widgeon13]

Do they want to know if you smoke as well. I'm betting a number of folks will scream discrimination stating some races are more inclined to be overweight and obese.

[Shifter]

The company I work for has been doing this for years, before obamacare was talked about. If you don't play their game, you pay. They will have a smoking surcharge next year.

Personally, I think people with children should pay much more than they do. Not only do they spend more time at the doctors, the parent usually misses work to take them. That costs the company more money! The obvious answer is to just not hire people who have children or can have children, unless they can be put to use assembling something.

[Noah930]

Originally Posted by cstreit

VERY common now.

Usually it's presented backwards. They raise the rates and then give a "discount" when you submit to health testing. ...this is the way 90% of corporations are doing it these days.

I refused.

Medicare reimbursement is becoming like that, as well. As of 2014, if a medical provider does not convert to electronic medical records and submit billing electronically, Medicare will reduce reimbursement by 2%.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

The issue becomes actions vs. genetics vs. side effects. Do you have high blood pressure because you smoke, eat crap and don't exercise or you are genetically pre-disposed or are your kidneys bad?

Either way, for things that you can control that have known, significant adverse effects (poor diet, smoking, lack of exercise) but fail to, you should pay double the average rate.

And there's no way employers should be paying for your health insurance. What you don't pay for, you don't appreciate and generally abuse.

[wdfifteen]

^^^ What he said.
You can't directly control your blood pressure without meds, but you can control your weight and can definitely control smoking, so being over weight and/or a smoker habits should lead to increased premiums.
Which leads to a question, is a person (like me) who isn't overweight and doesn't smoke but has high BP that is controlled by drugs healthy or just being patched up with drugs?

[einreb]

Originally Posted by cstreit

I refused.

Why?

[intakexhaust]

Oh the humanity! The brilliant lobbyist have brainwashed Americans and DC with 'SUGAR'. Everybody is whining about insurance, personal health cost penalty, etc. but we've been induced with sugar and nobody is going after these food producers. An ungodly amount of sugar has been pushed into our diets far beyond any other country. Its subliminal and the mind doesn't notice but pushes one more to eat and liken slight more sugarized foods. Take a loaf of bread for example and compare to a loaf just a decade ago. Your kids, and theirs are in for the punishment. And we haven't even started the topic of a mass increase in diabetes. The food industry knows -----AMERICA LOVES TO BE FAT----. And lets load the TV broadcast with fat feeding frenzy cooking shows.

America on sugar is like way back when China was hooked on opium. LOL

[intakexhaust]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Dick says, "Obama's real goal, of course, is to destroy employment-related insurance ..."

To which I say, "Excellent!! It's about time."
I'm afraid Dick is wrong again, but I can hope.

Ha - Have to consider Morris with an open mind. I did read his book Screwed (2012 release) and actually quite good.

This interview about a liberal media turning on Obama.... now thats another story:

Dick Morris predicts ‘liberal’ media will turn against Obama [VIDEO] | The Daily Caller