Quote:
|
Originally Posted by The_Jazz
First, this was discussed and discarded by the health insurance industry about 5 years ago because it's unworkable. There's no way that an insurance company can reasonably track this kind of information or make individual insureds do the exercises correctly. The cost to do the tests for alcohol and nicotine and cholestrol were deemed far too expensive to be worth it.
Second, the majority of Americans get their health insurance through group plans, and it's currently illegal in all 50 states for any health insurance company to exclude an individual from group coverage without consent of that individual. Sometimes prior issues may be excluded, but that's more of an example of an employer buying a cheap plan than anything else.
Third, insurance companies are private businesses and should be allowed to refuse any risk that they don't want. They should also be allowed to charge whatever rate they think is necessary. If you don't like it, find another insurance company. There are hundreds out there.
Finally, Pan, all of your other examples involve the health of people other than the individual (with the exception of transfat). That means they're public health hazards, and those have always been legislatable. As for transfat, it's been recently shown to be a very unhealthy substance, and there's a long tradition of legislating away unhealthy things (asbestos and lead, anybody?).
|
There is a nationally known insurance company right now that basically has told the company they insure they WILL NOT cover tobacco users (perhaps they will but they would charge more than the company could afford, IDK), they run nicotine tests every time the person visits their doctor.
The company itself tests for nicotine use on all applicants and will not hire those who test positive. (In Ohio, as are many states, it is a right to work state, the employer can hire or fire you for any reason they deem, provided it is not age, race, ethnic background, religion or handicap..... but then they can simply say, "you aren't a good fit in the position.")
This company also had their smoking employees go to mandatory stop smoking classes for 1 month.... after which anyone testing positive for tobacco was fired.
There was a newspaper article recently that stated more insurers in the state of Ohio are going to require nicotine tests on new hires and double or triple company rates for those companies that hire those people.
Same with fitness, companies in this area are now finding rates increased by 50-75% if their employees are not members of fitness clubs. Thus the employers are giving memberships to employees BUT they require employees to be there at least once a week.
EXCUSE ME. Nicotine is legal, ok, they don't do it in public now but at home.... the government is allowing industry to dictate what people can or cannot do in the privacy of their own homes now. I have a choice to exercise or not, IT IS MY BODY.
It isn't the government we have to fear taking away our rights, it is the corporations and the people who turn blind eyes and "don't care because they get cheaper rates.... or the rule doesn't affect them."
Where and when does it stop???? We are allowing the corporations more rights and to dictate to the people what the people can do privately. IT IS WRONG. If the government made up any of the above, people would be crying foul.... but when your job is on the line.... you better not say a word.
Guess what people are going to die and get sick. You can claim these laws and rules are to keep insurance down... but that doesn't gibe because more people are on prescription drugs than ever before, more sick time is used than ever before, more people (and it is even harder than it was 10 years ago) are filing for medical disability and if you keep people alive longer that's more Social Security you'll be paying out.....
And you make all these hoops the people have to go through to just enjoy their life.... while industry can dump carcinogens into groundwater supplies, while industry can chug out all kinds of carcinogenic smokes.... and that's ok.... people won't get sick from industry.... but that cigarette 5 tables down, look out..... that guy driving and talking on his cellphone, look out....
Corporate America and the government have you so blinded in fear, hatred and follow the leader... it's truly scary what the future holds.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by SirSeymour
While I understand where you are going here I disagree with your examples. There is enough evidence now on second hand smoke to support legislation restricting where people can and cannot smoke so I really don't have an issue with is (of course, I am not a smoker either). You can make a similar arguement with cars. If a driver loses control or is not paying attention it is not just his/her life they are playing with but the lives all those driving or walking around them.
This proposed law just protects morons from themselves though.
While I am concerned about the whole "loss of freedom" issue I see this as more of a "drain on the system" issue. The legislature will have to take time to investigate this proposal, run it through the proper channels and vote on it. Then law enforcement will have to train their officers on what is and is not legal under the new law and how to most properly and effectively enforce it. All of this will be going on while the homeless are ignored, while the health care system continues to fall apart, while the public education system continues its decline, etc.
It just seems to me that lawmakers would rather mess with BS like this than actually work on the issues that are really defining this country today.
|
I'm so to the point I truly don't care anymore. People vote for laws to take rights away, vote for legislators to sell this great new law that will take some rights away but it's ok because.... (insert promise and bullshit rationalization here)..... Fuck enforcing the laws we have....we need tax money so we'll not put these people in jail, we'll just fine the fuck out of them.
And the rights (AND YES THEY ARE RIGHTS..... NOT "PRIVELEGES") of small business owners and people that government doesn't want to legislate yet... they leave to insurance companies and lawsuits.
I am sick of the self righteous assholes who want to pick and choose other people's rights..... it's wrong, it's wrong, it's wrong and the fucks that allow it to happen sit there and smile until all of a sudden they lose a right.
I'm sorry if I am going off on a tangent, but in all honesty..... this law doesn't affect me.... so why should I care??????