[FONT="][B]Interesting So herein lies, imo, one of the main foundations for the stepped-up assault on vaping Since the ACA will no longer allow insurance companies to set health insurance premiums using gender or risk-based factors such as occupation/health status/claims experience et cetera, the government has instead mandated community-based rating, which uses demographic information for family size, urban/suburban residence and age as fairly generic rating indicators. The ONLY risk-based factor is tobacco use and IMO, using ONLY tobacco is rather narrow and small-minded, if not outright hypocritical. I havent seen any scientific evidence to show that tobacco has a link with cirrhosis of the liver or hepatitis, nor does it have a link with violent, anti-social behaviors such as driving a vehicle under the influence, spousal abuse and just plain irritating, over-the-top drunk and disorderly. How about including alcohol usage in the rating criteria? What about the medications an individual may be taking that have a high risk for abuse? And then theres this - An individual can be penalized for providing false or incorrect information about their tobacco use
what the heck does THAT mean? How is that going to be enforced? Random pee tests for snatching a puff? And how is it going to be proven that the nicotine I ingest came from tobacco and not a potato or an eggplant? How about a rating criteria based on an individuals BMI? Nope Smoking and anything that even resembles smoking is the current social equivalent to that suffered by first century lepers.
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[FONT="]I dont have a problem with the ideology of providing a vehicle to allow as many folks as possible to have access to decent, affordable healthcare I do have a problem with the singling out of a segment of the population because a substance of choice happens to be the current societal faux pas. Back in late 80s to mid 90s, I sat in on many an AA meeting and I vividly remember many individuals trying their hardest to get and stay sober. With the exception of those meetings that were set-up as non-smoking, all of the ones I attended had a miasma of smoke that clung to the top of the room like the mist on a mountaintop. Many times I heard individuals say they wished they could quit smoking, but it was one of the only kicks they were able to use and for many, it helped keep them from going back to their other substances of choice. I cannot imagine how hard it must be now to kick those other substances with that little luxury denied. But today we have vaping, which for some, may be the only option that will help them over the rough spots. I wish I wouldve paid more attention back in 1982 when Mr. Koop started the snowball downhill. Alas and alack, the ironic thing is that I do agree that smoking is not a habit that supports ones health, but to wage war on smokers just sets my hackles arise. The war on substitute the dot leaders for whatever you choose these wars have failed and are failing now as I write this The only thing this view-slanting has done is increased the policing and polarization of society to the point of extremism. Thanks for listening.
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[FONT="][B]Excerpt:
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[B][I][FONT="]Fair Health Insurance Premiums [/FONT][/I][/B][FONT="](applies to non-grandfathered plans)
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[FONT="]Health insurance issuers may vary the premium rate charged to a specific non-grandfathered individual or small group from the rate established for that particular plan only based on the following factors: family size (individual or family), geography (rating area), age (within a ratio of 3:1 for adults) and tobacco use (within a ratio of 1.5:1).
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[B][I][FONT="]Tobacco rating:[/FONT][/B] The final rule defines "tobacco use" as use of tobacco an average of four or more times per week within no longer than the past six months, including all tobacco products but excluding religious and ceremonial uses of tobacco. Tobacco use will be based on when a tobacco product was last used. Issuers may vary rates for tobacco only based on individuals who may legally use tobacco under federal and state law (i.e., no tobacco rating for individuals under age 18). If an enrollee provides false or incorrect information about their tobacco use, an issuer may retroactively apply the appropriate tobacco use rating factor to the enrollee's premium, but may not rescind the coverage. The final rule retains the rating for tobacco use within a ratio of 1.5:1. Issuers may vary tobacco rating by age, as long as the tobacco use factor does not exceed 1.5:1 for any age band. The small group market may apply the tobacco rating factor only in connection with a wellness program, allowing a tobacco user to avoid paying the full amount of the tobacco factor by participating in a tobacco cessation program.
Adjusted Community Rating - Health Reform Provisions
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[FONT="]I dont have a problem with the ideology of providing a vehicle to allow as many folks as possible to have access to decent, affordable healthcare I do have a problem with the singling out of a segment of the population because a substance of choice happens to be the current societal faux pas. Back in late 80s to mid 90s, I sat in on many an AA meeting and I vividly remember many individuals trying their hardest to get and stay sober. With the exception of those meetings that were set-up as non-smoking, all of the ones I attended had a miasma of smoke that clung to the top of the room like the mist on a mountaintop. Many times I heard individuals say they wished they could quit smoking, but it was one of the only kicks they were able to use and for many, it helped keep them from going back to their other substances of choice. I cannot imagine how hard it must be now to kick those other substances with that little luxury denied. But today we have vaping, which for some, may be the only option that will help them over the rough spots. I wish I wouldve paid more attention back in 1982 when Mr. Koop started the snowball downhill. Alas and alack, the ironic thing is that I do agree that smoking is not a habit that supports ones health, but to wage war on smokers just sets my hackles arise. The war on substitute the dot leaders for whatever you choose these wars have failed and are failing now as I write this The only thing this view-slanting has done is increased the policing and polarization of society to the point of extremism. Thanks for listening.
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[FONT="][B]Excerpt:
[/B][/FONT]
[B][I][FONT="]Fair Health Insurance Premiums [/FONT][/I][/B][FONT="](applies to non-grandfathered plans)
[/FONT][/I][B][I][FONT="][/FONT][/B]
[FONT="]Health insurance issuers may vary the premium rate charged to a specific non-grandfathered individual or small group from the rate established for that particular plan only based on the following factors: family size (individual or family), geography (rating area), age (within a ratio of 3:1 for adults) and tobacco use (within a ratio of 1.5:1).
[/FONT][/I]
[B][I][FONT="]Tobacco rating:[/FONT][/B] The final rule defines "tobacco use" as use of tobacco an average of four or more times per week within no longer than the past six months, including all tobacco products but excluding religious and ceremonial uses of tobacco. Tobacco use will be based on when a tobacco product was last used. Issuers may vary rates for tobacco only based on individuals who may legally use tobacco under federal and state law (i.e., no tobacco rating for individuals under age 18). If an enrollee provides false or incorrect information about their tobacco use, an issuer may retroactively apply the appropriate tobacco use rating factor to the enrollee's premium, but may not rescind the coverage. The final rule retains the rating for tobacco use within a ratio of 1.5:1. Issuers may vary tobacco rating by age, as long as the tobacco use factor does not exceed 1.5:1 for any age band. The small group market may apply the tobacco rating factor only in connection with a wellness program, allowing a tobacco user to avoid paying the full amount of the tobacco factor by participating in a tobacco cessation program.
Adjusted Community Rating - Health Reform Provisions
