Feeling the discrimination today

[ldaniels8080]

Just venting, but today I signed up for my corporate benefits. Last year I smoked analogs and had to pay the $20 per paycheck tobacco penalty. I was hoping I could get away without it this year due to stopping the analogs, but - oh no - that would be too generous.

The text on the signup form specifically went out of it's way to make sure that e-cigarettes were considered a tobacco product and thus subject to the $20/paycheck penalty. Jerks!

Since the FDA, nor any other agency has not officially and legally classified e-cigarettes as a tobacco product YET (to my knowledge), you have to wonder why the insurance companies can. Seems a bit corrupt and greedy to me.

Preaching to the choir, but where is it proven that using nicotine has any ill health effects? Seriously, isn't it more of a risk to my health that the crappy medical coverage they offer denies me care that could make me healthy? What a crock!

Anyway - just feeling the discrimination -- AGAIN! Thought I would get away from some of it after putting down the analogs.

 

[crxess]

It is corruption and greed, plain and simple.

These is no Deeming and therefor NO legal link between e-Cigs and Burning Tobacco.

Don't worry though, with the Billions in lost funds on the line the FDA will soon Shaft us for the Record.

So, how will they justify Penalizing people that use PV's with no Nic??????????

 

[ldaniels8080]

crxess - I don't know, but the wording on my health care sign-up did not specify if the e-cigs contained nicotine or not. It just said "use of e-cigarettes". Scary.

Wish they would get their heads out of their bums and see the light. They don't take into account that you went from a pack a day of analogs down to Vaping 3 mg. Or that you eat healthy organic food vs fast food or processed food. And on the other side of the coin, they don't ask you if you engage in risky behaviors like sky diving. Just feels like total discrimination to me. If it' "looks" like a cigarette, it must be a cigarette (to them).

 

[XJ-linux]

I love it when they try to get all funny with terminology and semantics. Eff 'em! You don't use e-cigarettes, you use an APV. Problem solved. Answer no. Two can play semantics games.

 

[VHRB2014]

Well, you can vote.

I for one have had enough of Big Government and consider it a disease to the nation. Ya, they are`nt happy unless they are telling someone else what to do.

Have a look at this post:
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/general-vaping-discussion/615416-who-against-e-cigs.html

 

[nicetucu]

It's all fun and games until detailed class action lawsuits are filed. I hope the penalties are on the high side to send a crystal clear message that we are not smokers anymore.

Until then, these idiots will try and grab as much cash as they can. Because there is a bit of an unknown, they're taking full advantage of it.

I feel your anger, I am about to change insurance and feel I will be up against the same BS.

 

[JamieZ4M]

Why not just tick no?

 

[ldaniels8080]

Unfortunately, they also said that if you click NO and they find out different, they can cancel your insurance for you and your family, hold you liable for retractive penalty payments and go "up to and including" termination of employment. And I thought, "why not say no but then if they bust me, just tell them that I just started up again". BUT they also said that at any time during the year if you start using any of these products again, you must notify benefits immediately. Crooks!

I do vote. I have already been in touch over the past months with many politicians making my views and voting criteria known and will be voting ONLY for those who are for Vaping and not for big tobacco, pharma, or insurance industries. I am fed up too.

Seems like our rights are chipped away until nothing is left anymore. How did America become this? Oh boy.... soap box.

 

[K_Tech]

Why not just tick no?

My only concern (possibly unfounded) would be getting "caught" with nicotine or its metabolytes on a blood test after an accident or major illness - and then getting my insurance cancelled because I lied on my enrollment form.

 

[xxJollyRogerxx]

Actually that is very interesting because what do you say if you are vaping BUT you vape with 0 mg? What then? I saw another post where a member had to have testing to see if he was ingesting nicotine but that is different from what you went through. Just makes me wonder what they would say. It hasn't reached me here yet but I can see it on the horizon if you guys in the states are getting hammered like this since all our healthcare is ultimately tied to US providers. But when has insurance ever been fair about anything?

 

[Waterdog]

I agree that is crap for them to do. Hopefully things like this get fixed soon. If anything it should be less the smoking.

 

[sub4me]

Insurance providers are getting way to invasive and their getting away with it. You have no choice but to accept their terms or get no coverage, its just wrong.

It reminds me of the idiots who put those insurance tracking devices in their car, you know so they can get better rates for their good driving lol. Don't they realize that little device is harming you in the long run??

 

[FlamingoTutu]

Unfortunately, $20 seems to be the bargain basement price.

Don’t see how they’d have a leg to stand on if someone vaped but used 0mg. If they are going to then they should charge people more who live in cities with high air pollution, next to venting volcanoes, near a toxic waste disposal site, etc.

There was this yesterday, http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...tra-co-pay-pharmacies-selling-cigarettes.html , hopefully they’ll get the pants sued off of them. Doubt anything will change until they go after more mainstream things like caffeine.

 

[kickflipsnnollies]

Well nicotine isn't the issue with vaping. We know the effects of nicotine being inhaled, and it's fairly benign if you keep it to normal levels.

The flavorings are the wild card. They've only had short-term studies with inhalation at best. We already know that several chemicals in flavorings are carcinogenic and I expect us to find that a LOT more are really bad to inhale once the results are in.

 

[sub4me]

Well nicotine isn't the issue with vaping. We know the effects of nicotine being inhaled, and it's fairly benign if you keep it to normal levels.

The flavorings are the wild card. They've only had short-term studies with inhalation at best. We already know that several chemicals in flavorings are carcinogenic and I expect us to find that a LOT more are really bad to inhale once the results are in.

I'd have to agree with that and I'd bet that's exactly what their considering, the unknowns with vaping.

 

[Mogar]

do yourself a favor, and read it again. If it says e-cigarettes, you can by the definition of an e-cigarette mark no if you use a vaporizer.
Its like them asking "do you have lung cancer?" you can mark no if you have colon cancer.

They are the ones making the rules, you are just playing by them.

 

[Cullin Kin]

It is corruption and greed, plain and simple.

These is no Deeming and therefor NO legal link between e-Cigs and Burning Tobacco.

Don't worry though, with the Billions in lost funds on the line the FDA will soon Shaft us for the Record.

So, how will they justify Penalizing people that use PV's with no Nic??????????

Exactly. I don't use nicotine, so what will I be classified as?

 

[AndriaD]

Actually that is very interesting because what do you say if you are vaping BUT you vape with 0 mg? What then? I saw another post where a member had to have testing to see if he was ingesting nicotine but that is different from what you went through. Just makes me wonder what they would say. It hasn't reached me here yet but I can see it on the horizon if you guys in the states are getting hammered like this since all our healthcare is ultimately tied to US providers. But when has insurance ever been fair about anything?

Exactly never. Insurance is a legalized form of gambling, and could perhaps even be characterized as racketeering; they're gambling you don't get sick or injured, and they will do anything and everything they can to cook the books in their own favor; if you do ever have any need for insurance, they will do anything and everything to point out why you aren't entitled to benefits, and if they do end up paying benefits, they'll do anythng and everything to make sure they pay the absolute smallest amount they can get away with.

That's why if you're ever injured in an auto accident, or even at work where it should be covered by workman's comp, you'd be well-advised to seek legal counsel -- because you will most likely need it, just to get what you are entitled to but which the insurance will do everything possible to avoid paying.

Andria

 

[InTheShade]

My only concern (possibly unfounded) would be getting "caught" with nicotine or its metabolytes on a blood test after an accident or major illness - and then getting my insurance cancelled because I lied on my enrollment form.

I too thought this. I checked my insurance and nowhere does it say anything about e-cigs, so I figure I am OK for now. If they do find any nicotine in my system and try to wiggle out of paying out, it was a piece of nicotine gum I chewed because I got a cigarette craving. Now of course it's different for each person as some health forms specifically ask about nicotine and not smoking / tobacco use.

It's funny how they can exclude e-cigs but often don't mention HRT like nicotine patches, lozenges and gum.

 

[sub4me]

Exactly never. Insurance is a legalized form of gambling, and could perhaps even be characterized as racketeering; they're gambling you don't get sick or injured, and they will do anything and everything they can to cook the books in their own favor; if you do ever have any need for insurance, they will do anything and everything to point out why you aren't entitled to benefits, and if they do end up paying benefits, they'll do anythng and everything to make sure they pay the absolute smallest amount they can get away with.

That's why if you're ever injured in an auto accident, or even at work where it should be covered by workman's comp, you'd be well-advised to seek legal counsel -- because you will most likely need it, just to get what you are entitled to but which the insurance will do everything possible to avoid paying.

Andria

Always hire an attorney its one of the most important things you can do to protect yourself.