Unvacvinated = higher premiums?

[JonC]

I read an article that some are looking at charging more for unvacvinated people's health insurance. The reasoning is the percentage of costs associated with the risks of rejecting the covid vaccines. It would be like charging more for those who smoke cigarettes.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cleveland.com/coronavirus/2021/10/companies-eye-charging-unvaccinated-workers-more-for-health-insurance-as-hospitalizations-add-billions-to-us-healthcare-costs.html?outputType=amp

On the other hand I have also read that companies cannot single out the unvacvinated. But given the cost associated with covid treatment they can raise costs as a whole.

“When an employee doesn't get vaccinated, they have a much larger chance of being hospitalized or having some serious COVID symptoms that are costly,” Dillender says. “That cost is going to be passed on to the employer—to the employer’s insurance—and that's going to raise premiums for everybody.”

But "What they can do is implement incentives and surcharges through company wellness programs" (for those who are vaccinated).
https://www.verywellhealth.com/unvaccinated-higher-health-insurance-premium-5198604

In the end it depends on how this all shakes out. If it is determined vaccinated vs non-vaccinated is similar to non-smokers vs smokers then premiums can be raised for those who refuse the vaccine.

Just another thing on the radar.

 

[JonC]

The question, of course, is whether the vacvinated who took measures to protect their health should have to pay a higher cost because of those who did not take responsibility for their health.

 

[SGO]

Another puff piece?

Do not say you are unbiased.

"those who did not take responsibility for their health."

 

[JonC]

Another puff piece?

Do not say you are unbiased.

"those who did not take responsibility for their health."

Uh...no. These are changes that some employers and insurance companies are exploring.

It is important to the vaccinated and unvaccinated alike.

 

[SGO]

Like the swish but what was said was, "those who did not take responsibility for their health."

The unvaxed are irresponsible.

"...those who did not take responsibility..."

 

[Dave G]

If it is determined vaccinated vs non-vaccinated is similar to non-smokers vs smokers then premiums can be raised for those who refuse the vaccine.

In light of the immense over-reaction of many to this pandemic, I'm not surprised that things are being allowed to go further.

Emotions and thinking are at an all-time high when it comes to illnesses right now,
and considering the current political climate, I expect a lot more of this on the horizon.

 

[Salty]

Like the swish but what was said was, "those who did not take responsibility for their health."

The unvaxed are irresponsible.

"...those who did not take responsibility..."

not necesssalry
SUPOOSE - 5 years down the road - a lot of people who got the Chinesee virus shot - start getting sick on a large scale.
Maybe they will, maybe we wont - just a lot of questions that we do not know the answer to.

 

[JonC]

In light of the immense over-reaction of many to this pandemic, I'm not surprised that things are being allowed to go further.

Emotions and thinking are at an all-time high when it comes to illnesses right now,
and considering the current political climate, I expect a lot more of this on the horizon.

I do not think this one is motivated by emotion but the dollar.

Unfortunately many have made covid and vaccines political. That said, there are legitimate issues that are not political in nature.

 

[Dave G]

Unfortunately many have made covid and vaccines political.

Unfortunately for a nation that once mostly left it's people alone to decide their own health,
now it seems that in the United States ( if not the rest of the world ), it will start to be mandated for us on a much larger scale.

 

[Salty]

Unfortunately many have made covid and vaccines political. That said, there are legitimate issues that are not political in nature.

But due to govt mandates - it is getting political

 

[JonC]

not necesssalry
SUPOOSE - 5 years down the road - a lot of people who got the Chinesee virus shot - start getting sick on a large scale.
Maybe they will, maybe we wont - just a lot of questions that we do not know the answer to.

They will not from the vaccine itself (there is nothing long term about the vaccine).

My concern would be varients. These are created several ways. The first is via infection (normal infection), the second by infection in seriously ill patients (like cancer patients), and the third is through vaccinated people having breakthrough cases.

 

[SGO]

not necesssalry
SUPOOSE - 5 years down the road - a lot of people who got the Chinesee virus shot - start getting sick on a large scale.
Maybe they will, maybe we wont - just a lot of questions that we do not know the answer to.

May be exactly correct, why wait five years?

You are optimistic.

By that time it will be in the national conscience: The unvaxed are a bad lot because they are "those who did not take responsibility for their health."

Let's be done with them so we don't have to worry about their spreading it.

We'll, just keep taking boosters, that is, those of us who are left."

 

[JonC]

But due to govt mandates - it is getting political

I agree, if the government does issue a general mandate. But that is a separate issue.

A governments misuse of power has nothing to do with the actual virus or the actual vaccine.

 

[Dave G]

The unvaxed are a bad lot because the do not take responsibility for their own health.

It won't matter if one exercises, eats right and finds more natural ways to boost what God has given us in the way of an immune system...
To some, remaining unvaccinated against COVID-19 ( having survived it or not, or taking care of one's body or not ) is a sure way to be relegated to secondary citizen status.

Taking responsibility for personal health will now equate to being vaccinated for everything,
even if that person is in otherwise poor health.

That's the emotional climate that I was referring to...
and it probably will, in all likelihood, carry its way into business and corporate decisions, travel restrictions, and admittance into public areas, as well;
Even in the United States and countries that have enjoyed similar personal freedoms.

If you thought the lock downs, business and church closings and mask mandates were bad, hold on...the real interesting stuff is only just beginning.

 

[JonC]

It won't matter if one exercises, eats right and finds more natural ways to boost what God has given us in the way of an immune system...
To some, remaining unvaccinated against COVID-19 ( having survived it or not, or taking care of one's health or not ) is a sure way to be relegated to secondary citizen status.

Taking care of one's health will now equate to being vaccinated for everything,
even if that person is in otherwise poor health.

That's the emotional climate that I was referring to...
and it probably will, in all likelihood, carry its way into business and corporate decisions, travel restrictions, and admittance into public areas, as well;
Even in the United States and countries that have enjoyed similar personal freedoms.

If you thought the lock downs were bad, hold on...the real interesting stuff is only just beginning.

I understand. But this is only in the minds of the unvaccinated. The vaccinated want to move on, and frankly I doubt many vaccinated give this a second thought.

For example, this thread is actually about insurance companies trying to recoup costs or prevent future losses related to risks that can be reduced. They do thus with smokers, and I am sure some smokers may feel that they are treated as second class citizens. But that is not the motivation (how they feel is a product of their own making).

Insurance companies are not here for politics. They are not here to protect our health either. They are here to make money by providing a service.

 

[Dave G]

But this is only in the minds of the unvaccinated.

I mostly agree with your post except here.

This will affect everyone, and depending upon how far it goes, it will be on everyone's mind, sooner or later.
"Moving on" will carry with it some baggage that wasn't there before this whole thing started, after the insurance companies are done.

 

[JonC]

I mostly agree with your post except here.

This will affect everyone, and depending upon how far it goes, it will be on everyone's mind, sooner or later.
"Moving on" will carry with it some baggage that wasn't there before this whole thing started, after the insurance companies are done.

I agree it will affect everybody. But I think the problem is deeper than the pandemic.

 

[just-want-peace]

not necesssalry
SUPOOSE - 5 years down the road - a lot of people who got the Chinesee virus shot - start getting sick on a large scale.
Maybe they will, maybe we wont - just a lot of questions that we do not know the answer to.

PRECISELY!!!! Cannot figure why some on here can't just accept this as fact, "we don't know"!!

 

[just-want-peace]

I agree it will affect everybody. But I think the problem is deeper than the pandemic.

Totally agree!! As Reagan said (think it was him), "Gov't IS the problem."

 

[JonC]

PRECISELY!!!! Cannot figure why some on here can't just accept this as fact, "we don't know"!!

There are some things we do know....like mRNA vaccines are short lived and there are no long term effects (damage done would be within the first couple of months and the Pfizer vaccine has a 17 month on the ground record).