My company health insurance used to ask each year if you were a nicotine user. If you were, you paid an annual $200 increase in your yearly premium (not monthly). For the past two years they haven't asked that question, but they still list me as a nicotine user.
In the ACA market the premium goes up considerably.
As I remember, the threads that discussed the cotinine question gave the advice to abstain from nic for up to two weeks before a test, although 4 to 5 days without nic should pass. The tests can also detect a low range that they refer to as exposure to side stream smoke. So, if you routinely stand with your smoking buddies in the smoking area at break and don't use nicotine, you will test positive for nicotine, although you will probably fall into the bystander second hand smoke category.
People have failed the test by vaping 5mg nicotine juices. It's best to abstain for a week or more before being tested. Still, as some have said, insurance companies have reportedly refused to pay when people were listed as non nic users, but tested positive in the hospital. You also want to tell your primary care provider that you are now a non-smoker so that you can be listed as such. Carriers will pick up information from records that were never changed.
In the ACA market the premium goes up considerably.
As I remember, the threads that discussed the cotinine question gave the advice to abstain from nic for up to two weeks before a test, although 4 to 5 days without nic should pass. The tests can also detect a low range that they refer to as exposure to side stream smoke. So, if you routinely stand with your smoking buddies in the smoking area at break and don't use nicotine, you will test positive for nicotine, although you will probably fall into the bystander second hand smoke category.
People have failed the test by vaping 5mg nicotine juices. It's best to abstain for a week or more before being tested. Still, as some have said, insurance companies have reportedly refused to pay when people were listed as non nic users, but tested positive in the hospital. You also want to tell your primary care provider that you are now a non-smoker so that you can be listed as such. Carriers will pick up information from records that were never changed.
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