Health insurers to the rescue, as far as encouraging people to get vaxxed?

[LaMouffette]

Maybe we will soon have an ally in encouraging people to get vaccinated.

From the New York Times:

Don't Want a Vaccine? Be Prepared to Pay More for Health Insurance

. . . Insurers could try to do more, like penalizing the unvaccinated. And there is precedent. Already, some policies won’t cover treatment that result from what insurance companies deem risky behavior, such as scuba diving and rock climbing.

The Affordable Care Act allows insurers to charge smokers up to 50 percent more than what nonsmokers pay for some types of health plans. Four-fifths of states follow that protocol, though most employer-based plans do not do so. In 49 states, people who are caught driving without auto insurance face fines, confiscation of their car, loss of their license and even jail. And reckless drivers pay more for insurance.

The logic behind the policies is that the offenders’ behavior can hurt others and costs society a lot of money. If people decide not to get vaccinated and contract bad cases of Covid, they are not only exposing others in their workplace or neighborhoods; the tens or hundreds of thousands spent on their care could mean higher premiums for others as well in their insurance plans next year. What’s more, outbreaks in low-vaccination regions could help breed more vaccine-resistant variants that affect everyone.

[link:https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/02/opinion/health-insurance-unvaccinated.html|

[Tadpole Raisin]

1. As much as I like the idea

It’s like a stiff penalty for a crime. It’s all after the fact and doesn’t deter the crime.

Do this and get the formal approval for the vaccine so all companies and entertainment venues can say ‘no shoes, no shirt, no vaccine, no service.’

It is working in France. Just don’t know if it can be done fast enough to make a difference.

[nycbos]

2. Wow.

For the first time in the history of the US medical system health insurance companies might be the good guys.


There are lyrics in the battle of Yorktown song from Hamilton that go The world turned upside down, The world turned upside down, The world turned upside down, The world turned upside down.

[LaMouffette]

8. This is definitely my first-ever post with something positive about health insurance companies.

I hate the power they wield over our health-care system, but in this particular situation, that power could be used to beat back Covid, since what member of Congress would ever say, "No, you can't do that!" to the health insurance industry if they decided to tack on 50 percent more to anti-vaxxers' premiums, and while they're at it, double their annual deductible?

[Ligyron]

3. I wonder how they can tell who's vaccinated?

Honor system?

If they somehow can, they shouldn’t cover any related healthcare occurrences as far as I’m concerned. Minus children of course.

[obamanut2012]

5. If you get it, it's on record you have it

[Chainfire]

6. Last week, my wife was purging some old files and accidentally shredded our vaccine cards.

Yesterday, she phoned the local Health Department, and they gave her new copies of the cards. They keep records of who is vaccinated.
I hope our governor (DeSatan) doesn't find out that they put them in nice plastic sleeves resembling a passport.

People have to take personal responsibility for their health if they want the rest of us to bail them out in times of trouble. If they do not get the vaccination and they do get the virus, they should have to take personal financial responsibility for their treatment. Fair is fair.

[roamer65]

4. 50 percent increase on THEM is fine by me.

Make THEM pay for their irresponsibility.

[LaMouffette]

9. Or do sticks AND carrots: 50 percent increase on THEM and 50 percent decrease for the fully vaxxed!

[MontanaMama]

7. As a self insured family...I would love a discount in premium

for proof of vaccination. I pay just under $2K per month for my little family of 3.