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ACA Question: Are Cannabis smokers considered smokers
and subject to the 50% premium increase?
This is all a limited search turned up:
Smoking Penalty under Obamacare Could Hit Pot Users Hard, But Where's the Science?
Seattle Weekly.com By Nina Shapiro Tue., Feb 12 2013
Smokers received some bad news recently when a little-noticed provision of President Obama's health care overhaul got a good look. Some may have choked on their cigarette to find out that they can be charged up to 50 percent more for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. Here in Washington, where marijuana use just became legal, that raises a new question: Does the penalty apply to pot smokers?
Stephanie Marquis, spokesperson for the state Insurance Commissioner's office, says the federal rules aren't entirely clear yet. The feds are in the process of creating a definition for smoking, which Marquis expects will mostly tackle issues like how often you need to smoke to be labeled a smoker. Once in the last twelve months? Once a day? But she doesn't expect that the feds will delve into whether there's a difference between tobacco and pot.
Nor does Washington state law, which already allows insurance companies to charge smokers more, although only by up to 20 percent. "My understanding is that smoking is smoking--whether it's cigarettes, cigars or pot," Marquis says.
..more
http://www.seattleweekly.com/news/thedailyweekly/942662-129/marijuana
Seattle Weekly.com By Nina Shapiro Tue., Feb 12 2013
Smokers received some bad news recently when a little-noticed provision of President Obama's health care overhaul got a good look. Some may have choked on their cigarette to find out that they can be charged up to 50 percent more for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. Here in Washington, where marijuana use just became legal, that raises a new question: Does the penalty apply to pot smokers?
Stephanie Marquis, spokesperson for the state Insurance Commissioner's office, says the federal rules aren't entirely clear yet. The feds are in the process of creating a definition for smoking, which Marquis expects will mostly tackle issues like how often you need to smoke to be labeled a smoker. Once in the last twelve months? Once a day? But she doesn't expect that the feds will delve into whether there's a difference between tobacco and pot.
Nor does Washington state law, which already allows insurance companies to charge smokers more, although only by up to 20 percent. "My understanding is that smoking is smoking--whether it's cigarettes, cigars or pot," Marquis says.
..more
http://www.seattleweekly.com/news/thedailyweekly/942662-129/marijuana
It's important because a Cannabis smoker could pay non smoker premiums thinking they are insured and then something happens and when they go to use their insurance they find out that they aren't covered.
Premiums paid, no insurance when actually needed, and perhaps being sued for fraud. That's a possible outcome of not checking the right box on the application.
Cannabis smokers might want to think twice about whether they can claim non smoker status- especially if they have a state card or have posted evidence on places like Facebook or even here on DU. A simple blood test would reveal THC, although not necessarily smoked THC. Then there is the fact that all citizens are under 24/7/365 NSA surveillance.
Anyone know the official policy?
17 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
