Obese Americans unable to get health insurance?

[schukle_baby]

I was watching the news a while back and there was a story about how health insurance was going to be unavailable for those Americans that are overweight. I remember being utterly revolted at the idea, the reason being that insurance companies don’t want to insure obese people because of all the medical problems that are associated with obesity. Sure, they say it’s in the better interest of the obese person but what it really comes down to is money. Also, if you want to look at it that way then you must take into account every other person that could have medical problems such as smoking and drinking for example; by saying that only obese people can’t get health insurance would then be considered a form of discrimination, right? By outlawing insurance for people that are considered too fat would be taking away that person’s free will. If someone wants to be fat, why can’t they?

I’m posting to see others’ response to this situation. Would it be right to ban health insurance for obese people on the grounds of making them healthier by forcing hem to lose weight or is it wrong because it restricts someone’s free will to eat what they want?

 

[LDNCatholic]

but what it really comes down to is money.

America is a Capitalist country. It all comes down to Pounds shillings and pence (Or Dollars, dimes and cents-whatever).

While I don’t necessarilly agree with it, it might motivate some of the larger people to get up, move about a bit or eat a salad instead of a burger.

 

[goofyjim]

Then they should cancel the insurance of those who smoke and drink as well. Both have health complications far worse than just being overweight.

 

[SeekerJen]

While I don’t necessarilly agree with it, it might motivate some of the larger people to get up, move about a bit or eat a salad instead of a burger.

What about those skinny folk who are sedentary and wash down their burgers with 2-liter sodas and packs of cigarettes? Or those who starve themselves so that they can binge-drink without gaining weight? Do they get a free pass for unlimited health care simply because they’re skinny?

Your statement shows quite a level of ignorance about the reasons why people are fat. Besides, what determines who is “obese”? Which standard? BMI? The BMI is useless as a measure of health, as it doesn’t take age, gender, racial/ethnic background, muscle mass, activity level, or bone structure into account. It is also arbitrary, as what was considered “normal” in 1998 is now (after readjustment) “overweight”. Who’s to say that the numbers won’t be readjusted to deny care to even more people? “Oops, your BMI is 24.5. You were ‘normal’ before, but now the cutoff is 22 so you’re ‘overweight’. Sorry, can’t help you.”

Perhaps the HMOs need to stop being so greedy and lazy and start relying on things other than an arbitrary number to assign health classifications to people.

 

[puzzleannie]

I was watching the news a while back and there was a story about how health insurance was going to be unavailable for those Americans that are overweight. I ?

going to be? try already is
I have to keep working until medicare kicks in because i cannot buy insurance on the open market at any price, weight is only one factor, but it is spelled out. since nobody on this forum is my doctor and hence has no idea of the reasons behind this or any other medical problem I have, please do not jump to conclusions. my insurance company will sell me insurance if I smoke, ride a motorcycle or jump out of airplanes, adopt a sexual lifestyle notorious for spreading one of the worst diseases known to modern medicine, but not for being more than 20% overweight. if this turns into another “fat people are sinners” thread I am warning you, grandma is very testy today.

 

[peggywm]

Excuse me but the insurance co may as well say they don’t insure sinners. Most things we do these days,eat the wrong food,drive to fast, drink to much,smoking whatever it is, are all contributing health factors. All bad if not used in moderation. I could go on but you get the idea. It is plain and simple discrimination and should not be permitted!

 

[LDNCatholic]

What about those skinny folk who are sedentary and wash down their burgers with 2-liter sodas and packs of cigarettes? Or those who starve themselves so that they can binge-drink without gaining weight? Do they get a free pass for unlimited health care simply because they’re skinny?

Your statement shows quite a level of ignorance about the reasons why people are fat. Besides, what determines who is “obese”? Which standard? BMI? The BMI is useless as a measure of health, as it doesn’t take age, gender, racial/ethnic background, muscle mass, activity level, or bone structure into account. It is also arbitrary, as what was considered “normal” in 1998 is now (after readjustment) “overweight”. Who’s to say that the numbers won’t be readjusted to deny care to even more people? “Oops, your BMI is 24.5. You were ‘normal’ before, but now the cutoff is 22 so you’re ‘overweight’. Sorry, can’t help you.”

Perhaps the HMOs need to stop being so greedy and lazy and start relying on things other than an arbitrary number to assign health classifications to people.

I’m not ignorant about why people are fat, I’m one of the pie people myself .

And I believe in America insurance companies require a physical before decideing how much to charge, so yeah, if the skinny people who eat unhealthily have developed health problems then their insurance should be more expensive or the companies should refuse to insure them aswel.

And if they’re going by BMI then that shows a lack of understanding on their part. According to the BMI index the entire English rugby team are clinically obese. If someones stomach ripples when they walk, however, you can pretty much guarantee that it isn’t relaxed muscle .

Of course thanks to socialised medicine I don’t have to worry about that.

 

[jc-servant]

Being obese or a smoker or a drinker does not put someone in a “protected class” in the US, so there is no legal reason why an insurance company should not be able to exclude these folks from their policies. It is an insurance business, not a charity. We may not like it if we are one of those excluded, but I suspect if we were the shareholders of that particular company we would have a different perspective on the matter.

For those who are on the right politically and clamoring for less government in their lives, I hope that they understand that this is what happens when any industry gets to decides for themselves who to serve and how to serve them. Some people can get excluded or hurt so that others can profit.

This is how the free market system has decided that it will work in this instance. Insurance is not a “right” that has been codified by law, so no is forced to provide it at any price from a private business. We do not have socialized medicine, so the government is not providing it either.

 

[porthos11]

Then they should cancel the insurance of those who smoke and drink as well. Both have health complications far worse than just being overweight.

Not really cancel, but their premiums do jack up, sometimes significantly.

In any case, that’s the way insurance works. They are assuming the risk to another party. It makes no business sense to insure when there is a foregone conclusion about the outcome. Part of the effectiveness of insurance is the element of uncertainty.

Obese people may have to either pay higher premiums or be ineligible for insurance because of the higher likelihood of early payout, just like the elderly. The dying are not entitled to insurance at all. It has to be the case, so that insurance will be effective for everyone else, otherwise, insurance will be nonexistent.

Those ineligible for insurance must turn to other means that will secure their futures, such as forced savings or investment.

 

[Claire_from_DE]

Not really cancel, but their premiums do jack up, sometimes significantly.

In any case, that’s the way insurance works. They are assuming the risk to another party. It makes no business sense to insure when there is a foregone conclusion about the outcome. Part of the effectiveness of insurance is the element of uncertainty.

Obese people may have to either pay higher premiums or be ineligible for insurance because of the higher likelihood of early payout, just like the elderly. The dying are not entitled to insurance at all. It has to be the case, so that insurance will be effective for everyone else, otherwise, insurance will be nonexistent.

Those ineligible for insurance must turn to other means that will secure their futures, such as forced savings or investment.

Because of the enormous cost of medical care for catastrophic illness, there is really no way to ‘secure their futures’. An otherwise very healthy, non-smoking, non-drinking, low normal blood pressure obese person can’t get long-term care insurance either.

 

[jc-servant]

Because of the enormous cost of medical care for catastrophic illness, there is really no way to ‘secure their futures’. An otherwise very healthy, non-smoking, non-drinking, low normal blood pressure obese person can’t get long-term care insurance either.

Sure they can. They can find a job with any governmental agency that has benefits from which they cannot be excluded for any pre-existing condition. I know people who have sacrificed higher pay and even moved to take such a job in order to insure themselves or a family member.

 

[ljprevo]

America is a Capitalist country. It all comes down to Pounds shillings and pence (Or Dollars, dimes and cents-whatever).

While I don’t necessarilly agree with it, it might motivate some of the larger people to get up, move about a bit or eat a salad instead of a burger.

I would agree that this is a bigotted statement.

What about us American’s with Thyroid disorders? After my thyroid was discovered I lost over 200pds (What is that in kg? LOL)

 

[daeve]

going to be? try already is
I have to keep working until medicare kicks in because i cannot buy insurance on the open market at any price, weight is only one factor, but it is spelled out. since nobody on this forum is my doctor and hence has no idea of the reasons behind this or any other medical problem I have, please do not jump to conclusions. my insurance company will sell me insurance if I smoke, ride a motorcycle or jump out of airplanes, adopt a sexual lifestyle notorious for spreading one of the worst diseases known to modern medicine, but not for being more than 20% overweight. if this turns into another “fat people are sinners” thread I am warning you, grandma is very testy today.

As a tubby senior citizen, all I can say is AMEN! I was diabetic way before I was fat, and yes, Type II does happen to non-fat people…my mom never weighed over 110 in her life, including pregnant!..but people still tell me it’s my fault I have diabetes. I could afford to retire today, instead of OCTOBER 15, 2015, but not without insurance. I spend over $250 a month on prescriptions WITH the insurance. I can’t imagine how someone without insurance manages.

There was a guy on the radio this morning, ragging about “the new sins” and he really got me riled, saying fat people commit the sin of gluttony and shouldn’t receive Communion. This is a former Catholic and I don’t put much store in what he says, but it still makes me mad. Don’t assume people who are fat are out of control. There are many other possibilities, medical and emotional, for being overweight. I think I’m ranting, so…that’s all.

 

[MsMeggie]

I don’t understand why ‘we’ allow the media and the minority percentage of the population that are ‘weight appropriate’, to put us all in a category of slovenly, self-indulgent over-eaters and obviously in need of serious repentance.
I am one of these people that eat moderately and don’t just sit on the couch all day (I have 5 kids); yet, my body is highly effeceint and stores EVERYTHING I eat as fat. Well, I know I will survive a famine…lol. But, unless I choose to eat nothing but salad, all day, every day…this is who I am. God didn’t create us all the same. As a priest friend of mine said to me recently, “As long as you’re happy and health, what’s the big deal. If you were living in the 17th century, you’d be just the Thing!”

I have also read many, many articles that suggest that obese people are not as unhealthy as our society is trying to make out that they are. Possibly even heathier than our skinny counter-parts. But, the image-concious media never reports on these findings, do they?

One last thing, I’m glad I’m Canadian, and my health care, for now, is a sure thing…but, for how long? Even the doctors are prejiduce against fat people.

 

[AndyF]

Let’s see if they have the same zeal in doing the same for smokers. I doubt it. On the same grounds smoking makes a worse case.

With the lack of morality today one needs a different weapon. The groups that survive are the lobby groups.

Andy

 

[LDNCatholic]

What about us American’s with Thyroid disorders? After my thyroid was discovered I lost over 200pds (What is that in kg? LOL)

What percentage of obese Americans have thyroid disorders please. And please don’t call me a bigot I’m fat myself, does that make me a self hating pie person?

 

[kms123]

Of course it comes down to the dollar. Isn’t that true for your personal affairs. You invest and choose to spend your money wisely. Insurance companies are for profit. They spread the cost of health care over many people, hoping and actually implementing preventative programs to have more healthy people that keep their costs down.

Cleveland clinic is now testing potential employees for not only illicit drugs but for nicotine. They will not hire smokers. It is not written, but I am sure obese people are not the first choice candidates for jobs.

dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2007/06/28/clinic_smokers.html?print=yes

I don’t think you can start excluding people. They could potentially find an excuse to exclude anyone.

I wonder what would happen if there was no such thing as health insurance. You know there was a time when it did not exist.

 

[ljprevo]

What percentage of obese Americans have thyroid disorders please. And please don’t call me a bigot I’m fat myself, does that make me a self hating pie person?

I did not say YOU were a bigot, I said it was a bigotted statement.

It just depends how people take it.

 

[vz71]

Going back to the OP…

I was watching the news a while back and there was a story about how health insurance was going to be unavailable for those Americans that are overweight.

Unless a law is made to that effect, it will never happen.
Insurance Companies base their premiums on risk.
Bad driving record - higher risk - higher car ins.
Smoke? - higher risk - higher premiums.

All ‘fat’ does is provide an excuse to raise premiums.
Given the choice between high premiums and not covering at all, you can trust that the insurance company will always go with the possibility of making money.

 

[deb1]

I’ve had two women tell me that they continue to smoke to keep their weight down. that can’t be healthy.