Sunday, September 21, 2008

Price of being fat going up?

I saw this today. So starting in 2011 in the state of Alabama if you are a state employee and considered fat you will have to pay extra for you health insurance unless you are doing something about you weight. They do not specify just what actions you have to take to avoid the penalty. Also, if you have high blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar again you would be penalized.

Is this discrimination? How much personal responsibility is their for your health? Will smoking or drinking be included next? Where do we draw the line? If a company is paying out a lot of claims for health insurance then their premiums will go up which will effect everyone, including those employees who never file a claim. Should healthy people have to pay higher premiums because others don't take care of themselves and make more claims? And what do we do about those people that are genetically predisposed to these things. Even if they try to eat healthy and exercise they still can have high cholesterol, etc. Should they be punished for their dna? Issues like these are going to become more and more prevalent as health care costs continue to rise. I just wish their was an easy answer.

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