General Cycling Discussion - health care costs

2 years ago I weighed 334 pounds and couldn't climb a flight of stairs without being out of breath. As of Saturday I weighed 224 and rode a 77.5 trip in some beautiful Oregon countryside. I am, justly so in my opinion, feeling rather proud of myself. Obviously the rewards for such a lifestyle changes are many: I feel better, I look better, I will live longer and I'm happier. I was thinking today though that I deserve some sort of monetary reward as well. I don't mean to sound greedy but it just doesn't seem right that even though I am so much healthier then I was two years ago I am still paying the exact same amount for health insurance. I suppose there are perfectly good reasons for this but I just can't help but think that my 334 pound border line diabetic ass should have been paying a lot more then my low blood presure, low cholesteral, still overweight but working on it, current self. Heck if such a system was in place it might provide even more incentive for those who need a little something extra to motivate themselves to lose weight..lord knows this country needs to do something about it's weight problem.

hmmmm.

no surprise that you did not feel this way when fat. Should you pay more now than someone who is healthier?

that's because they spread that cost out evenly amongst people who receive health care. I've been in fairly decent shape for much of my life and have always paid the same as those that kill their bodies by barely acknowledging their needs. It is how the health care folks avoid getting sued for discrimination...its a load of crap.

Welcome to the club.

Congrats on the weight loss by the way.

that's because they spread that cost out evenly amongst people who receive health care. I've been in fairly decent shape for much of my life and have always paid the same as those that kill their bodies by barely acknowledging their needs. It is how the health care folks avoid getting sued for discrimination...its a load of crap.

Welcome to the club.

Congrats on the weight loss by the way.

Exactly. This is why my wife and I, both healthy, pay $706 per month in health insurance. It sucks.

That's a central issue for ppl against universal health care. Like why people with bad habits/lifestyle dragging downt he rest of us.

I think the solution is not whether universal or not, is whether we pay more attention to preventive, give incentive for people to stay healthy on their own.

One thing I know, we wont be able to compete with the rest of the world if we don't fix our system. Interesting recent program on pbs.org, Sick Around the World. (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/)

no surprise that you did not feel this way when fat. Should you pay more now than someone who is healthier? Define healthier?I know many slim people who have diabetes,high blood pressure,stroke and even a heart attack.


Exactly. This is why my wife and I, both healthy, pay $706 per month in health insurance. It sucks.

I know and 500.00 of that goes to the CEO salary.

Please do no make this a P&R thread, but I really don't see it going any where else.

no surprise that you did not feel this way when fat. Should you pay more now than someone who is healthier?

I don't think I'd mind that. I also don't think I'd mind someone who smokes having to pay more then me. However, I realize that once you start on that road you have to worry about health care becoming somethin like auto insurance. I definately wouldn't want that. I wouldn't want someone with a family history of cancer having to pay more, or someone who's premiums go up because they had to file a claim more then 3 times a year, etc.

I don't think I'd mind that. I also don't think I'd mind someone who smokes having to pay more then me. However, I realize that once you start on that road you have to worry about health care becoming somethin like auto insurance. I definately wouldn't want that. I wouldn't want someone with a family history of cancer having to pay more, or someone who's premiums go up because they had to file a claim more then 3 times a year, etc. or someone older

i havent had health insurance for 2 years now=/ I switched jobs twice in 2 years, and current one has a poor plan that is overpriced..might be time to find another job if possible, the way stuff is right now best off just keeping what i have and dont crash.

Exactly. This is why my wife and I, both healthy, pay $706 per month in health insurance. It sucks.

$706/month?!?!?!? :eek:

And I thought $660/year was steep!!!

There are some problems with your analysis:

The healthier you are the more health care you will consume since you will live longer comsuming more health care years and be more active risking injury. Healthy you will not pay more for those extra years as they are subsidized by the government. In short unhealthy people are good because they die sooner, and cheaper. They also do not consume as much in terms of unfunded government pensions. I think all government pensions and social security should be paid in coupons for fast food establishments, and cigarettes.

Even worse the new svelte you might attract a mate and have expensive uppity children.

expensive uppity children. Oh yes children take so much resources that our resource limited earth has,Children should be taxed heavily and singles people should get all the tax breaks.

Oh yes children take so much resources that our resource limited earth has,Children should be taxed heavily and singles people should get all the tax breaks.

I hope that's satire. It's only because of people having children that Social Security and Medicare haven't gone bankrupt yet. Most of Europe is in crisis because they are not having new people entering the workforce quickly enough to meet the financial obligations to retirees. At the very least, we will be fortunate enough to watch the major nations in Europe find solutions before USA hits critical mass.