How have you guys handled insurance?

[zercules]

I'm not a moral or ethical person when it comes to billion dollar corporations who would fleece me in a heartbeat.

Most correct answer in this entire thread. I’m shocked when people behave otherwise.

These rules are written up arbitrarily by people who think all tobacco equates to smoking 2 packs of cigs a day. Not very educated in the least. You don’t sound like you smoke 2 packs of cigarettes a day, therefore you should check “no”.

 

[Briar Lee]

The entire point of any business corporation is to be greedy. Make all the return they can for the shareholders.

And the entire point of government services is to provide better service. Bigger aircraft carriers, bigger fire trucks, faster police cruisers, better roads and bridges, which all cost more taxpayer money.

The more employers and the government pay health care providers the better and bigger they get.

If this nation consumed cars like we do heath care we’d all drive Rolls, Jaguars and Mercedes that other people paid for.

Te entire rest of all the wealthy world isn’t smarter than we are.

We can invent atom bombs using slide rules, if you bomb our Pearl Habors.

America will eventually quit what we are doing wrong and do right.

Likely not in my lifetime, but inevitably.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

I'm having to renew my health insurance this year, and they ask about tobacco use, and it's simply a YES or NO answer, and there are no qualifiers such as - type, frequency, etc. If I simply select YES my insurance rate almost DOUBLES!?! What bothers me about that simple question is I know what they are concerned about, and rightly so. The 1-2 pack a day cigarette smoking guy, who GREATLY increases their risk in insuring him. However, I am a far cry from that. I average one bowl a day. It isn't fair that none of that seems to matter.
I realize a likely response I'm going to get here is LIE about it. However, that's a conscience issue I'm not interested in compromising. So my attempt here in raising this question is simply to hear feedback from the pipe smoking community at-large on how you all have dealt with this issue. Perhaps there is something I have not rightly considered? Or perhaps there certain insurance companies that are more smoker friendly? Or am I just screwed, and need to bite the bullet? Thank you!

The only definition that matters is what "tobacco use" is defined as in the policy you are renewing - it will have a definition and sounds like you already know that smoking a pipe once a day is using a tobacco product as defined in the policy (no doubt it is). Sounds like you've already determined answering "no" isn't accurate which it likely isn't and that's kind of the end of it isn't it? Either renew and say YES or renew and say NO. Your choice.

So if you aren't interested in compromising, suggestions you do so or how someone else may choose to handle the same dilemma, or info from those who live in a state which doesn't allow the surcharge or limits it (many don't, including California, New York, and several others) really don't matter. Your choice, no judgments here.

Having said that, you should be able to find a broker who can analyze the options out there for you for health insurance (you haven't indicated whether you are purely seeking as an individual or via an employer, etc.), assuming you have options and aren't needing to renew a continuing "grandfathered/grandmothered" plan you had before ACA or are tied into what an employer (also sounds like you aren't a public employee, which in Texas appears to have significant advantages on this issue) or group you are associated with in some way offers or both in which case, yep, you may definitely be stuck.

Just curious - how is your rate almost doubling? The surcharge maxes at 50% for the actual rate? Are you fully funding the cost or is your out of pocket contribution to a subsidized plan increasing that much vs. the rate increasing that much? This one's a puzzler, so again, just curious.

 

[telescopes]

If I were to suggest a change to how we fund medical care, the only one funding formula that might work in my opinion is to use a non-profit co-op model. The issue with non-profits is oddly the same with for-profit schemes. CEOs and others want competitive salaries that are industry standard. The other issue is that hospitals and doctors will still want to set their own prices. Colleges as well will continue to over-charge students leading to massive debt. All these factors make reigning in the cost of medicine difficult to say the least.

What will happen - because costs are breaking the system - is the two tiered system will continue with the poor receiving substandard care that really is tantamount to receiving no care, or the system will eventually be a medicare for all system with insurers being able to subsidize levels of care privately. Again, this will do nothing for the poor in that they will still receive substandard care, albeit maybe a bit better than they did on Medicaid. At any rate, our country can do better.

 

[NookersTheCat]

Just curious - how is your rate almost doubling? The surcharge maxes at 50% for the actual rate? Are you fully funding the cost or is your out of pocket contribution to a subsidized plan increasing that much vs. the rate increasing that much? This one's a puzzler, so again, just curious.

Can't speak for the OP but I know that for myself when I had to purchase my private plan through healthcare.gov (as used to be the law before each state made their own ACA "free marketplace " site.. it was pretty simple to see.

You would select the plan with the coverage and then it would show a price per month premium... then you would get to the next screen and it would ask the tobacco use question and when you click it it would update the price to nearly double the original rate. This isn't uncommon. It's just that if you have a plan subsidized by either the govt or your employer you probably don't see the full cost increase/decrease.

 

[instymp]

??? Whose lying???

Was saying, don't lie on an insurance application

 

[buroak]

Does the form also ask if you are going base jumping? How about sky diving, rock climbing, using scheduled drugs, smoking dope, racing motorcycles at the Isle of Man? How about the number of drinks you have per week.

I get it that some people see this as black or white. I wonder if any of them ever cross the street in other than a marked crosswalk or exceed the speed limit.

Those are questions your life insurance company asks.

 

[Hutch Piper]

Do not lie. If you smoke a pipe, you are a smoker. That’s just the way it is.

 

[anotherbob]

Was saying, don't lie on an insurance application

That's solid advice. And that makes sense. Again pretty good advice. If you lie on a application like that it can really come back and bite you quick.

 

[Copperhead]

Either you are moral/ethical or you are not. No middle ground. None at all. Nada!

Nonsense.

Morals and ethics are subjective and context-driven.

 

[NookersTheCat]

Nonsense.

Morals and ethics are subjective and context-driven.

This is a pretty interesting philosophical debate to be sure... Def out of scope for this thread lol.
Like most things in life I'd say the truth is somewhere in the middle. And also like most things in life/nature, I think it follows a standard bell curve of statistical probability.

That is to say, in general, I believe for most of us, most of our morals are based upon our circumstances. I believe that most people are as moral as their current situation/society allows them to be. Yet I believe there are less and less people (at the tails of the curve) who's morality or immorality is absolute and doesn't depend on circumstance.

Take something like an apocalyptic scenario. I believe most of the people who (during a prosperous society) swore they would never steal or harm others for food would throw those morals out the window after going a few days or longer without it. But I still believe there are a minority of people who even in those dire circumstances would still hold their morals above their physical wellbeing. Just as there are a minority who (during a prosperous society) hold to their immorality.

 

[InWithBothFeet]

I had my yearly appointment with my GP... she went through the usual questions and when she asked if I smoked and I told her a pipe occasionally, she said "I probably shouldn't say this, but I love the smell of a pipe. Reminds me of my uncle when I was young."

 

[bullet08]

For insurance purpose, "Hell Yeah I Smoke". Don't want to deal with other BS. Besides, all my doctors know I smoke. But there used to be some discount if promise to work out and other crap.

 

[Hillcrest]

I just heard from my tax accountant that everyone's insurance is going up 20% per year over the next 5 years to pay for California. I suspect this is speculation and no source was provided. Even more disturbing was that Ai is going to take over accounting, taxes, and medicine and its not always up to date or correct. Strange days ahead. Be vigilant on your own behalf. As for smoking When they ask I say I quit cigarrettes but occasionally smoke my pipe... in the hospital they immediately ask me if I want a nicotine patch ... o.k. so ... whats the real policy here ???

 

[Deano]

Turn 65 and get Medicare!

You can smoke and drink, skydive and chase wild women all you want!

Of course you won’t be able to, nearly as much.:

Seriously, a minute.

If you get caught lying on the form it can be bad, very bad.

The government appears poised to crack down on medical costs in every possible way, and allow private companies to do the same.

Truth. They dont ask nothing. They dont pay out much so there is that.

 

[Hillcrest]

As the agent how to answer. When they see a NO then do a urine test and see levels 10 times the lethal amount they get pissed. Don't ask how I know this.