Help me avoid a vaping penalty....

[Luv2CUSmile]

Steven,
I don't know who your insurance company is- (I didn't read every single post either)
They can not do that- life insurance yes, certain things put you at higher risk and, of course, your premium may be higher than others- Health insurance- No! That is discrimination- So, Fat people, people w/ prior health problems (i.e. heart attack, cholesterol, diabetes, etc), current health problems unless they see a doctor regularly (ousting people who have things under control enough that a yearly check up is enough), and people who are trying to quit w/ other cessation tools (i.e. nicotine gum, lozenges, etc)... They can not charge you more!
Find a different insurance company! You will find that actually, going off independantly- especially now, many are cheaper with same or better coverage than many businesses give their employees. AND no health check ups necessary, etc- I hope you consider this before conforming to Big Brother!
Either that or give up that health facility and move to another one- or private practice-
Good Luck!

 

[ladyraj]

Hi folks.... well, I work at a hospital and the org. is now going to penalize smokers for having nicotine on board their bodies: we got news that our health insurance will go up if

1) we are over a certain body mass index number (obese)
2) have blood cholesterol over a certain number
3) have blood pressure over certain parameters
4) have nicotine in our system

We don't have all the parameters yet, but I think its 50 bux a category (looks like it could cost up to 200 bux a month ); they soften it by saying if you can prove you are under a doctor's treatment for these conditions with a plan or something you won't get 'dunned' for it. Probably except for the nicotine one.

Ok. I got all the others beat and to boot, now I'm in the best health I've had in a couple of decades now that I quit analogs last june; and vape exclusively. Even tho I vape 36mg, all my stats including Blood pressure are just tip top wonderful, etc. etc.

So, what I'm hoping for is good advice on getting a 0mg nic solution that:

1) provides throat hit,
2) provides a sweet vape,
and 3) did I say provides throat hit?

Seems to me like you gotta have a higher voltage mod and some kinda e-juice like I got no clue about, but I gotta do something soon; I think all the testing (most likely blood testing) will come down in November. I'd like to be happily vaping 0 mg nic a few weeks in advance of that.

HELP!

PS I have Janty Stick v2 (a few of em) and 510 (dura) stuff around. Lots of 801 and 510 atomizers, that is. Love em both at 36mg/3.7 volts. Considering a Chuck, T1 or Prodigy; I'm open to good suggestions. Gotta hit it soon.

According to the FDA analysis cotinine is not a very good marker for e-cigs. In table 2, the simulated e-smoking results were trace to a .4 mcg of simulated inhaling. At those levels one would be considered to have a second hand exposure. Since current analysis is based on cotinine measures you would be fine since cut-off points are in the 6-7 range for minor cigarette usage. Anything below 3-4 is fine.

 

[jedrojam]

2) have blood cholesterol over a certain number
3) have blood pressure over certain parameters

First let me say that I have no answer to your dilemna other than vaping 0 Nic or quitting altogether. Complete bummer.

My big issue is that your employer is legally allowed to enforce the 2 items I have quoted from you above. While I think it is absolutely ludicrous that companies can discriminate against people on most grounds, the 2 things listed above are completely over the line. Cholesterol and Blood Pressure can be hereditary, and you have no control over them. I won't go into my medical history, but I am affected by both of the above and no drugs or dietary changes have been able to pull me under the high mark in 10 years. I must also say that I am not overweight, eat healthy, and am in very good physical shape.

Sorry for the semi-hijack, but some things really, really boil my blood. I won't go off on the waste, fraud, and abuse of the money that I pay in taxes every year.

Hope you find a solution to your problem,
Jed

 

[geeker]

Does your comapny offer cash in lieu of insurance? It's a longshot, but some companies do that. If so, I'd consider taking it and buy a policy with another insurer.

 

[hyperdeficit]

i think that is unconstitutional for them to do that

 

[PaulZ]

The letter set the BMI at 29.9... they said NIH's standard was 24.9. Sounds kinda skinny to me.

If you have good conditioning and can actually run a mile, I'd bet on you before I bet on average joe at 24.9 with the couch potato life style, thats for sure. ;-)

I'm a personal trainer, and have competed in body-building competitions. I also did MMA (semi-pro style what they do in the UFC if you're not sure what im talking about). i can wooop 99% of people with a 24.9 bmi at pretty much anything.

here are a few examples of how BMI fails:

teddy bruschi (pro nfl player.. just retired) BMI: 33
Muhammed Ali (in fighting prime): 31 BMI
Lance Armstrong: 26, technically.. overweight. really?

Matthias Steiner: 35.8 BMI - this guy can clean and jerk 570 POUNDS. hes around 10% body fat. i wonder why hes obese? oh wait.. they're giant muscles of doom that throw steel at buses for fun.



all in all.. bmi is stupid :]

 

[bircky311]

I 100% agree with PaulZ. In high school my BMI was spot on and I was in the best shape of my life. My max press was 145 (that's 2 reps), couldn't have run a mile chased with a cattle prod, and was borderline anorexic. It's all gone downhill from there, but my point is that BMI is BULLSH... you get the idea. Good luck Steven.M ... I'm in your corner.

 

[LaceyUnderall]

Please note this is very rough research: (Sherid - You might enjoy this!)

Ok... so Steven threw out the Bravo Wellness. So I started to google. Bravo Wellness has a relationship with CBCA Administrators. (one of the largest medical administration groups in the US).

Here is one program they offer where if you fill out the proper forms, your Chantix is covered: http://www.partners2health.com/_pdf/v11 - 11.07 FINAL.pdf

A bit about them:

CBCA Administrators, Inc. Announces Partnership with Bravo... ( CBCA Adminis...)

"Understanding the impact that unhealthy lifestyles will have on future claims costs, CBCA sought to find a partner that meshed with the philosophy that only by empowering members to achieve behavioral goals would a company be able to curb future claim costs. With bravo wellness' HIPAA-compliant incentive programs, employers finally have a practical way to reduce healthcare costs. "It is not enough to expect members to always do the right thing for their health; our clients need a way to encourage compliance and offer rewards for healthy behavior," said Ken Di Bella, President and CEO, CBCA."

So... for those who are interested... search away! IMO - This is interesting. As we all know that prohibition does not work from a government level, this to me, looks like a back door way to nicotine prohibition. Leave it in the hands of private insurance companies and employers to ban the nicotine right out of the American population?!?