I blog about healthy lifestyles and personal responsibility and choice and why those who make poor healthy lifestyle choices should expect to pay more. And I get blasted for being an jerk. So it comes with great pleasure to inform you Happy haters that your federal government is planning on doing everything I discuss, including discriminating against you if you smoke. Healthy lifestyles may just prevail. At least I'm not going to discriminate against you if you age. On page 2 of the Senate's proposal
The Chairman‘s Mark would establish Federal rating, issue, renewability, and pre-existing condition rules for the individual market. Issuers in the individual market could vary premiums based only on the following characteristics: tobacco use, age, and family composition. Specifically, premiums could vary no more than the ratio specified for each characteristic:
Tobacco use – 1.5:1Age – 5:1Family composition:Single – 1:1Adult with child – 1.8:1Two adults – 2:1Family – 3:1
So, to all the Happy haters and believers in social solidarity, here comes your discriminatory government to the rescue. It's only a matter of time before this risk assessment for premiums spreads to the obese as well. As far as age? That's the worst discrimination possible. At least under my proposals your rates would be based only on the conscious decisions you make about your healthy lifestyles. Your government wants to let you get charged FIVE TIMES MORE because you get old. Under my proposal, a ninety year old who practices healthy lifestyles would get the same rates as an Olympic track star if they met the same age appropriate healthy living lifestyle parameters. You say it can't be measured. I say it can. And so does your government when they plan on charging you 50% more for your right to smoke.
At least the rules would require (page 18) that insurers to pay for smoking cessation therapies (a great idea which hopefully includes Chantix): UPDATE: Chantix lawsuits, here we come.
Any insurer that rates on tobacco use must also provide coverage for comprehensive tobacco cessation programs including counseling and pharmacotherapy (prescription and non-prescription).
Also, it comes with great pleasure for me to inform my emotionally charged, socially solidaritied, entitled readers of the government's plan to initiate its own wellness program, complete with monitoring systems and outcomes measures. On page 73
The more you read Happy, the more you will realize that you are getting an accurate view of reality going forward . I think this appropriation is great. My only hope is that once it is shown to reduce costs and improve outcomes, it becames codified into the beneficiary's cost sharing requirement. I would suspect that providing incentives means reducing premiums, which is the same as increasing them for those who chose not to participate in healthy lifestyles. It seems like your government may just have an ounce of personal responsibility police left in it. I applaud them for their efforts. There is no free ride anymore.
And for Medicaid? Same story: (page 73)
Once again, proving that measuring lifestyle choices is not only possible but planned by your government, despite the assertion of readers here that it is impossible and immoral and intrusive.
The Chairman‘s Mark would authorize and appropriate $100 million over five years for the Secretary to establish an initiative to provide incentives to Medicare beneficiaries who successfully complete certain healthy lifestyle programs. Programs would target the following risk factors: high blood pressure, high cholesterol; tobacco use, overweight or obesity, diabetes and falls. The Secretary would establish a system to monitor beneficiary participation and validate the results, as well as set standards and health status targets for participating beneficiaries. Prior to establishing the initiative, the Secretary would review evidence concerning healthy lifestyle programs and providing incentives to individuals for participating in such programs. The initiative would be implemented on January 1, 2011
The more you read Happy, the more you will realize that you are getting an accurate view of reality going forward . I think this appropriation is great. My only hope is that once it is shown to reduce costs and improve outcomes, it becames codified into the beneficiary's cost sharing requirement. I would suspect that providing incentives means reducing premiums, which is the same as increasing them for those who chose not to participate in healthy lifestyles. It seems like your government may just have an ounce of personal responsibility police left in it. I applaud them for their efforts. There is no free ride anymore.
And for Medicaid? Same story: (page 73)
The Secretary of Health and Human Services would develop criteria for healthy lifestyle programs using relevant, evidence-based resources. These programs must be comprehensive and uniquely suited to address the needs of Medicaid eligible beneficiaries and have demonstrated success in helping individuals lower or control cholesterol and/or blood pressure, lose weight, quit smoking and/or manage or prevent diabetes, and may address co-morbidities, such as depression, associated with these conditions. The Secretary would set targets for measuring health status improvements. After the Secretary develops criteria, states could design a proposal and apply for funds to provide incentives to Medicaid enrollees who successfully complete healthy lifestyle programs. States are permitted to collaborate with community-based programs, non-profit organizations, providers, and faith-based groups, among others. The state is required to establish a system to monitor beneficiary participation and validate health outcomes. Mark authorizes $100 million in funding for these grants during a five-year period beginning on January 1, 2011.
Once again, proving that measuring lifestyle choices is not only possible but planned by your government, despite the assertion of readers here that it is impossible and immoral and intrusive.
