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UT System health insurance just implemented a $30/month tobacco premium.

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout: Debate & Discussion' started by Xerobull, May 15, 2012.

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  1. Xerobull

    Xerobull ...and I'm all out of bubblegum

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    Title says it all.

    From what I can tell, there's no testing; you have to declare that you're a tobacco user. Not sure how they're going to bust people. Wouldn't be terribly hard to have an insurance gestapo walking around UT campuses.

    Details: http://www.utsystem.edu/benefits/medical/tobacco.htm

    My take: it's good. But I agree with critics that it's a slippery slope, although the auto insurance industry has a zillion different premiums based on age, record, sex.
     
    #1 Xerobull, May 15, 2012
  2. moestavern19

    moestavern19 Member

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    I'm going to start selling fantasy football insurance.
     
    #2 moestavern19, May 15, 2012
  3. cheke64

    cheke64 Member

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    Those sons of b****es charge just to apply to online.
     
    #3 cheke64, May 15, 2012
  4. juicystream

    juicystream Member

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    Seems fair. We shouldn't have to subsidize health insurance costs for those that we know is 100% choice.

    Obesity is much more difficult as genetics do play a major role.
     
    #4 juicystream, May 15, 2012
  5. Major

    Major Member

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    They can probably just deny you services if they discover it later. So it's a risk you take if you lie about it, I guess?
     
    #5 Major, May 15, 2012
  6. pirc1

    pirc1 Member

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    Yup. If you claim you do not smoke but later they find you have smoke related lung cancer, I think you will be out of luck.
     
    #6 pirc1, May 15, 2012
  7. GladiatoRowdy

    GladiatoRowdy Member

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    They recently did this at UH too.
     
    #7 GladiatoRowdy, May 15, 2012
  8. tmoney1101

    tmoney1101 Member

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    [​IMG]
     
    #8 tmoney1101, May 15, 2012
    1 person likes this.
  9. Xerobull

    Xerobull ...and I'm all out of bubblegum

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    Holy crap I LMAO'ed at that. Nice one.
     
    #9 Xerobull, May 15, 2012
  10. Hightop

    Hightop Member

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    This + government take over of health care sounds like a pure utopia.
     
    #10 Hightop, May 15, 2012
  11. GladiatoRowdy

    GladiatoRowdy Member

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    You realize this change is purely market driven and implemented by private companies, right?
     
    #11 GladiatoRowdy, May 15, 2012
  12. Air Langhi

    Air Langhi Contributing Member

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    [​IMG]
     
    #12 Air Langhi, May 15, 2012
  13. da_juice

    da_juice Member

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    This. One of the possible but often ignored benefits of a national health care systme is the phasing out of some of our terrible health habits.
     
    #13 da_juice, May 15, 2012
  14. Hightop

    Hightop Member

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    UT is a private company?
     
    #14 Hightop, May 15, 2012
  15. GladiatoRowdy

    GladiatoRowdy Member

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    The health insurance company that services UT is a private company.
     
    #15 GladiatoRowdy, May 15, 2012
  16. Hightop

    Hightop Member

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    UT is implementing the charges.

    "It is being implemented because UT System cares about the health and well-being of its members. The use of tobacco is one of the leading preventable health risks worldwide, and the use of tobacco is inconsistent with the UT System's culture of wellness."

    http://www.utsystem.edu/benefits/medical/tobacco.htm

    Soon it will be the government.
     
    #16 Hightop, May 15, 2012
  17. GladiatoRowdy

    GladiatoRowdy Member

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    Actually, a huge part of the push for non-smoking campuses is because of a loss of funding from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.

    http://alcalde.texasexes.org/2012/02/ut-considers-campus-wide-tobacco-ban/

    But the change in insurance rules is because the insurance company, a private entity, implemented the surcharge.
     
    #17 GladiatoRowdy, May 15, 2012
  18. Sweet Lou 4 2

    Sweet Lou 4 2 Member

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    What exactly is the problem with charging higher premiums to people who take bigger risks?

    If you drive unsafely you pay more car insurance. Makes sense right? So if you live unsafely, it follows that you should pay more for the risk you take as opposed to making OTHER people pay for your risky behavior, no?
     
    #18 Sweet Lou 4 2, May 15, 2012
  19. Hightop

    Hightop Member

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    I am looking forward to the smoking tax once the glorious government takes over caring four our health. We all must conform to the norm. Smokers and fat people (among others) should be purged from the village. We will not tolerate flaws in our Culture of Wellness.
     
    #19 Hightop, May 15, 2012
  20. Classic

    Classic Member

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    I agree with hightop, obese should be surcharged for health insurance as well, not in an effort to punish but to subsidize the non obese
     
    #20 Classic, May 15, 2012
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