Heath insurance myth

For discussion of life's issues: current events, social trends and personal opinions.

Moderators: Tunnelcat, Jeff250

Post Reply
thwart
DBB Ace
DBB Ace
Posts: 116
Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2003 2:01 am
Location: PA

Heath insurance myth

Post by thwart »

Ever heard the one that says that smokers cause high health insurance? Well if that was in any shape or form true then health insurance would be going down. There are quite a few less smokers now than 20 years ago and health insurance is going through the roof.

Critical thinking is frowned upon in this day and age but I still have a tendency to do it every now and then. I guess I better enjoy it while it is still legal.
User avatar
CDN_Merlin
DBB_Master
DBB_Master
Posts: 9780
Joined: Thu Nov 05, 1998 12:01 pm
Location: Capital Of Canada

Post by CDN_Merlin »

It may not go done for a while since all the smokers from 40 years ago are old now and need all the health care from smoking for 30+ years. In 20 years or so it should be down to nothing because less people have smoked.
thwart
DBB Ace
DBB Ace
Posts: 116
Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2003 2:01 am
Location: PA

Post by thwart »

Well the point is is there are less people smoking not more and health insurance rates are skyrocketing. If anything they should be the same. Even 40 years ago there wasn't a dramatic increase in smoking.

Quite a few people get cancer and other expensive to treat diseases and they have never smoked.

The heath insurance industry and the socialists are just looking for a scapegoat not unlike those other socialists, the nazis.

Oh by the way, did anyone know the nazis were also anti-smokers?
User avatar
fliptw
DBB DemiGod
DBB DemiGod
Posts: 6459
Joined: Sat Oct 24, 1998 2:01 am
Location: Calgary Alberta Canada

Post by fliptw »

Critical thinkers also can do research and provide numbers for useful debate.

Im pretty sure someone isn't reading those numbers right.

And, Godwin's law.
User avatar
Spidey
DBB Grand Master
DBB Grand Master
Posts: 10807
Joined: Thu Jun 28, 2001 2:01 am
Location: Earth

Post by Spidey »

There should be a law against invoking that stupid law.
User avatar
TechPro
DBB Admiral
DBB Admiral
Posts: 1520
Joined: Thu May 20, 2004 11:51 pm

Post by TechPro »

Expecting insurance prices to go down because there are now fewer smokers ... is like expecting the price of gas to go down because because there are fewer car accidents .... It's not gonna happen.
User avatar
Bet51987
DBB Alumni
DBB Alumni
Posts: 2791
Joined: Sun May 30, 2004 6:54 am
Location: USA

Re:

Post by Bet51987 »

.
User avatar
Will Robinson
DBB Grand Master
DBB Grand Master
Posts: 10124
Joined: Tue Mar 07, 2000 3:01 am

Re:

Post by Will Robinson »

Bet51987 wrote:
TechPro wrote:Expecting insurance prices to go down because there are now fewer smokers ... is like expecting the price of gas to go down because because there are fewer car accidents .... It's not gonna happen.
Which is why health care reform, despite republican resistance, is neccessary.

Bee
Do you mean someone should write legislation that actually works toward reducing consumer costs or just sign the legislation the Democrats wrote that doesn't really do that but they say it does?
User avatar
SilverFJ
DBB Cowboy
Posts: 2043
Joined: Wed Jul 28, 1999 2:01 am
Location: Missoula, Montana
Contact:

Post by SilverFJ »

Will beats me to everything I want to say.
Save some for the little people, Will. :P
User avatar
flip
DBB Material Defender
DBB Material Defender
Posts: 4871
Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2006 9:13 am

Post by flip »

No I expected insurance premiums to go down because the price of cigarettes went from 55 cents a pack to around 5 bucks.
User avatar
Spidey
DBB Grand Master
DBB Grand Master
Posts: 10807
Joined: Thu Jun 28, 2001 2:01 am
Location: Earth

Post by Spidey »

Yea, but if there are less people smoking…that kinda defeats that point.
User avatar
flip
DBB Material Defender
DBB Material Defender
Posts: 4871
Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2006 9:13 am

Post by flip »

Well first we're assuming that there's actually less smokers now than there were. I'm not entirely sure if that's true or not. Their profits seem to be growing each year. However,I do distinctly remember the reason for the 1000% increase on tobacco being specifically for the healthcare coverage of smokers. From then till now that translates into a hellova lot of money and I haven't heard jack of it mentioned yet.
User avatar
Spidey
DBB Grand Master
DBB Grand Master
Posts: 10807
Joined: Thu Jun 28, 2001 2:01 am
Location: Earth

Post by Spidey »

Because it was a lie.
User avatar
flip
DBB Material Defender
DBB Material Defender
Posts: 4871
Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2006 9:13 am

Post by flip »

LOL ok since we're on the same page I'll go back and sit down :P
thwart
DBB Ace
DBB Ace
Posts: 116
Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2003 2:01 am
Location: PA

Re:

Post by thwart »

TechPro wrote:Expecting insurance prices to go down because there are now fewer smokers ... is like expecting the price of gas to go down because because there are fewer car accidents .... It's not gonna happen.
That is exactly what I am saying. Smoking has nothing to do with the price of health insurance. It is just an excuse to charge smokers more or use them as a scapegoat. The propaganda machine also targets overweight people, etc... blaming sick people (the customers) for the cost of health care.

For an in depth discussion on some reasons heath insurance is going up go here. Looks like government meddling (go figure) is causing most of it.

Notice the monopolies government created through regulation. You can't even use an insurance company that is not "licensed" by your state. Sickening.
User avatar
Krom
DBB Database Master
DBB Database Master
Posts: 16135
Joined: Sun Nov 29, 1998 3:01 am
Location: Camping the energy center. BTW, did you know you can have up to 100 characters in this location box?
Contact:

Post by Krom »

You see monopolies are just plain bad, regardless of if they are government monopolies or private monopolies. What we have now are government sanctioned private monopolies, so I fail to see how the current government plan is going to make a difference either way.
Best case: we end up with a duopoly.
Worst case: we end up with a different but equally horrible government monopoly.

Either way nothing will improve till we destroy the monopolies and drag the rest of the industry kicking and screaming back to the free market where they belong.
User avatar
Spidey
DBB Grand Master
DBB Grand Master
Posts: 10807
Joined: Thu Jun 28, 2001 2:01 am
Location: Earth

Post by Spidey »

Sick people are not the reason for high “health care” costs.

Sick people are the reason for high “health insurance” costs.

Since most people get their health care thru insurance…

Insurance is the reason for high health costs.
Post Reply