Should health insurance providers drop obese people?

Question

I found this article and wanted to hear what everyone thought.
http://viviansjustice.blogspot.com/

Answer 1

I have mixed feelings about this. Yes if they don't improve their diets or start developing heart disease or diabetes. But shouldn't people be allowed to live the way they want to live. also it's not every obese person's fault. There is a genetic disorder called prader-Willy Syndrome that causes people to become obese and I don't think they should be dropped. I'm more for charging more and decreased benfits. People with unhealthy lifestyles get charged more than people with healthy life styles and they get fewer benefits.

Answer 2

You know, I used to be a real hard a** about obesity - lazy, eating junk - every sterotype possible, until I had hormonal problems that led to a hysterectomy at a very young age and between the depression and metabolism changes I really tanked up. There was no controlling it - it controlled me! I have since lost a lot of the weight but have gained an enormous amount of sympathy of the obese. Yes, some is laziness, but so much can be attributed to self medicating with food for stress, pain and so on. If anything, insurers are once again blaming the victims to not cut into their stockholders profits and should be providing counseling and medical avenues. Instead, most no longer cover bariatric surgery, diet pills, and most counseling coverage sucks!
Tell me, would we be healthy and covered if we all were the perfect weight, but smoked 2 packs a day and popped diet pills to stay that way? Maybe we should just all go back to the Golden Rule of treating others the way we want to be treated and how about "never judge a person until you've walked a mile in their shoes"!

Answer 3

Sure, you just happened to find VivianLopez1963's blog VivianL. Take credit for your diatribe. The reason there is no happening in this within insurance companies is that it is FAR TOO invasive to determine who is obese to the level to be dropped from insurance versus those who are not. Smoking is different, you ask one question that's yes or no... Obesity is a series of tests, measurements and all that (I don't know the whole process) and it can be degrading for people. That's why policies don't worry about it even though it's more of a risk factor than smoking.

Answer 4

Not all obese people are unhealthy. For example: My employer has never had a serious illness or high blood pressure of high cholesterol, she is in perfect health, sometimes its not about appearance and how people are perceived to be unhealthy, it just maybe they are who they are.

Answer 5

although I did not read your article I have to say no because its not always their weight that makes them sick, what if they were driving and got hit by a car or something like that. dont tell me that they should have been walking to loose weight instead of driving because if they work 10 miles away thats rediculous or if they were on vacation, etc. or bit by a dog and needed stitches and rabie shots... you get the idea.

Answer 6

I think they should have a special insurance for those who wanto to be fat and unhealthy so the rest of us don't have to suffer with the high premiums. Same goes for smokers and drug addicts.

Answer 7

we should help people not punish them. how does that golden rule go? do to other people what they did to you? he who has the gold makes the rules?

Answer 8

Private industry should be allowed to do whatever it wants.

Answer 9

Nope, they should provide a 12 step program for them...Eataholics Anonymous.