The Affordable Care Act _ "Obamacare" to its detractors _ allows health insurers to charge smokers buying individual policies up to 50 percent higher premiums starting next Jan. 1.
For a 55-year-old smoker, the penalty could reach nearly $4,250 a year. A 60-year-old could wind up paying nearly $5,100 on top of premiums.
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13 comments:
If Obama is out to cause a civil war he's getting close. Oh, Muslims and black folks are exempt from this.
An obesity tax is to be levied also in progressive increments in premiums.
Now here's the kicker. Obesity related illness-heart disease, joint deteroration, etc won't be covered if person doesn't seek mental health because obesity is now being called a mental illness and were are not talking the morbidly obese.
Government panel will make recommendations if treatment should be sought.
This all goes to the insurance companies and the control they have over Obama. Don't believe it is the other way around. Obama is in the pockets and he's a butt kisser to big corps. Insurance companies contrary to what they claim found someone they could control to increase their profits and then blame it on the government. Obama caved in because he is a weak man, a slave who does what he it told by the rich white corporate executives.
If he were sincere about overhauling health care and not lining the pockets of insurance companies he would have truly modeled his plan after "Romneycare" which has no government interference on treatments.
So anyone who has an ounce of extra weigh on them and needs knee replacement just buy a wheelchair because you will be SOL under Obamacare.
Obama should propose a tax on women with big fat arses. He should start at home.
I won't be telling anyone I smoke!
@11:55 - you won't have to. they'll smell you.
You better 11:55 otherwise if a smoking related illness were ever to materialize it would be a case of insurance not covering. You can't even get away with attempting to say you were a former smoker because cilia (tiny hairs in upper portion of lungs) start to grow back usually within 3 days of quitting as does bronchial tube "relaxation" occuring.
Teh Won doesn't care what insurance companies charge taxpaying workers. He knows the majority of His constituency will not be paying A DIME for their health care.
That should be for insurance companies to decide, not the government.
Wells Fargo started tracking smokers a couple of years ago. You may already be paying extra in premiums.
I thought the extra tax they were charging on cigarettes was going towards healthcare. I wonder whose pocket that tax money is lining.
Don't be fooled. The ObamaCare initiative is not about anyone's health - it is about control. If you think otherwise, you are uninformed and probably voted for this disaster.
So many people are so happy over the charges being added to smokers insurance coverage. Let's see how happy they are when some of their life styles are attacked. Believe me, it is just a matter of time. More & more choices will be taken away.
Sounds good to me!! And yes, charge folks who don't keep their cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar in check extra too. Just like a high risk driver paying car insurance. If you choose to intentionally poison your body then you should have to pay more to insure it.
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