Health Insurance Loopholes and the FDA

[need_2quit]

If nicotine is now considered a tobacco product, would all the ppl that answer NO to using tobacco products on their health insurance/life insurance questionnaire that are e-smokers be under scrutiny by health insurers to get out of paying any health/life ins claims?

Seems like the mess the FDA jurisdiction will create goes well beyond our smoking rights.

 

[breakfastchef]

I do not recall nicotine being considered a tobacco product. If that were true, then nicotine inhalers would be considered cigarettes.

Insurance companies will take some time to deal with issues like smokeless tobacco and non-tobacco products. If I no longer smoked analogs, I would be safe in saying I do not smoke or use tobacco.

If you want a discount from your insurance company for being a non-smoker, there is probably a time period you have to be tobacco free. For BCBS of FL, I would have to be tobacco free for one year and get a note from my doctor.

 

[need_2quit]

yes, it's definitely confusing! I just know if they banned flavored cigarettes, there is no way they're going to let flavored e-juices fly under their jurisdiction.

I watched michael moore's Sicko movie last year and saw what lengths insurance companies will go to not pay claims. With the nicotine, tobacco, flavored tobacco, etc mess, I wouldn't put it past them to test for nicotine before paying a claim if it could be attributed to tobacco.

Don't know if I read it on here or elsewhere that insurance companies own a lot of stock in tobacco companies.

 

[happily]

If nicotine is now considered a tobacco product, would all the ppl that answer NO to using tobacco products on their health insurance/life insurance questionnaire that are e-smokers be under scrutiny by health insurers to get out of paying any health/life ins claims?

Seems like the mess the FDA jurisdiction will create goes well beyond our smoking rights.

That could become the case, but those insurance companies already have a stack of excuses at their disposal. Just don't take the e-cig with you to do your paperwork,...

 

[Momof3]

Our insurance tests you for nicotine. Doesn't matter where it comes from, you'll pay smokers rate.

 

[VelvetVisions]

Our insurance tests you for nicotine. Doesn't matter where it comes from, you'll pay smokers rate.

I believe this is the case for many these days, just try to get life insurance, they will test you. It will be interesting to see how they handle things like e-liquid since the biggest gripe most insurance claim to have is the health risks of smoking analogs. Nicotine is the only real test they currently have for determining if you are a smoker. Things that make you go hmmmmm.

 

[happily]

tell them your addicted to the patch

 

[VelvetVisions]

They won't care, to them nicotine is nicotine, you test positive you are a smoker, end of story. Ignorant people (insurance companies, not you happily... LOL).

 

[Momof3]

"these days", heck I'm talking over 15yrs ago they were doing it. DH never smoked, but he did occasionally chew "Smoker's Rate" I don't remember how long I had "quit" before my test. 2 weeks of sheer heck I think and nope "Smoker's Rate" Have checked recently as DH quit almost a year back and I haven't had an analog for months. I do use 18mg juice though and I was told I would still test and be rated as a smoker. That even the patch or gum would cast me in the same net. They don't have a way of differentiating.

 

[Kate51]

It's called "Gotcha". Things have sure changed in the last twenty years.
Very interesting what the next 20 will look like. Don't ever think for one minute that you can remain anonymous any longer, from cradle to grave. You're going to be like a worker ant, just making money for your G-people! Like a Nation of Zombies, we are! "They" of course, will want you to make more than they spend on you. Geez, we gotta do something, I'm scared!
Well, maybe just PO'd!

 

[denec]

Our insurance tests you for nicotine. Doesn't matter where it comes from, you'll pay smokers rate.

you can get around those tests

 

[need_2quit]

I had an insurance salesman ask me if i smoked and i said i was on my way to quitting using nicorette. he replied, 'so i'll put down you don't use tobacco'. that was the question on the form = 'do you use tobacco'.

I didn't get the insurance, because I wasn't about to lie, pay all that $ in premiums to have them stiff me in the end. I know from experience that an insurance salesman will tell you what you want to hear to get the policy

Something to think about for those with health insurance listed as a non-smoker. Life insurance also. They want your $, but they don't want to actually give you something for your money

 

[Momof3]

you can get around those tests

I only bother for DH and he wouldn't have any probs with passing. He won't switch anyways. Have to wait for his agent to die first. I was a teen at the time of mine. I'd be hard pressed to do better now I think with a new policy at my "advanced" age, smoker or not.

 

[Cancer]

Nicotine can come from 11 other plants in the Nightshade species besides Tobacco +plus you can make synthetic nicotine. Therefore there may be loopholes for juice manufacturers and people seeking insurance

 

[TheIllustratedMan]

Insurance companies are businesses. Therefore, they must profit. Therefore, they must pay out less than they take in. Therefore, the average person with insurance is getting screwed.

Just find out how much you would be paying in premiums, and start a savings account. Or a retirement account. Or whatever.

 

[grumpster]

you can get around those tests

Bold statement. Care to elaborate?

 

[tbremer]

Insurance companies are businesses. Therefore, they must profit. Therefore, they must pay out less than they take in. Therefore, the average person with insurance is getting screwed.

Just find out how much you would be paying in premiums, and start a savings account. Or a retirement account. Or whatever.

i agree with you that the average person probably does put more into insurance then they use it for, however your alternative i think is much riskier. if you get in a serious accident and your bills come to 100k, hell even 30k, chances are you wont have saved up that much...

 

[TheIllustratedMan]

Nope. But if it's life threatening, they HAVE to save you, whether you have insurance or not. Physical Therapy and all that is totally optional. Besides, we're all going to die of cancer anyway, aren't we?

 

[OutWest]

Nope. But if it's life threatening, they HAVE to save you, whether you have insurance or not. Physical Therapy and all that is totally optional. Besides, we're all going to die of cancer anyway, aren't we?

It may vary from state to state, dunno, but here they dont have to treat you for cancer if you dont have insurance because it's not considered "life threatening" (at least not until the final stages, and then it's too late). One of the most heart wrenching things is seeing someone with cancer being turned away from the hospital because of no insurance.

 

[TheIllustratedMan]

Right, I was referencing the "get in an accident" thing.The dying of cancer was tongue-in-cheek.