Obamacare law and regulatory proposal would let healthcare insurers charge up to 50% higher premiums to tobacco users (don't know about e-cigarettes)

[Bill Godshall]

Obama's DHHS proposes regulation (per Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) allowing healthcare insurers to charge tobacco users up to 50% higher premiums (even if tobacco use poses negligable disease risk), gives billion dollar gift to drug industry by proposing to exempt tobacco users from premium increases if they enroll in government approved treatment programs using ineffective NRT or high risk drugs. Public comments accepted until Dec. 26, 2012.
https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2012/11/26/2012-28428/patient-protection-and-affordable-care-act-health-insurance-market-rules-rate-review#h-26

https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2012/11/26/2012-28428/patient-protection-and-affordable-care-act-health-insurance-market-rules-rate-review#h-54
http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2012pres/11/20121120a.html
http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/2012/11/market-reforms11202012a.html

 

[patkin]

Thanks. Not surprising to me. Saw the corruption coming 4 years ago.

 

[Bill Godshall]

After reading the proposed regulations by Obama's DHHS in the Federal Register (see above), I started this new thread, as the previous thread at http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...ey-enroll-ineffective-cessation-programs.html contained inaccurate information about the scope of Obamacare and the proposed regulation by DHHS.

It is uncertain if e-cigarette consumers could or might be subject to massive, unwarranted and discriminatory healthcare insurance premium increases that the law and proposed regulation applies to tobacco users.

But I suggest that all e-cigarette and tobacco consumers submit comments to the DHHS urging them to only allow healthcare insurers to increase premiums for tobacco users as much as is actuarially sound.

Since e-cigarettes, smokeless tobacco products, cigars and occassional use of even cigarettes poses exponentially lower morbidity, disability and mortality risks (and corresponding healthcare costs) than daily cigarette smoking, healthcare insurers should not be allowed to increase premiums for policy holders by more than is actuarially justified (based upon risks).

To charge an e-cigarette (or smokeless tobacco user, cigar smoker, or occassional smoker) 50% higher healthcare insurance premiums is nothing less than punitive discrimination.