Being overweight, judging overweight, judging others generally...

[Steve]

I am mixing them together for comparison purposes, yes. I was attempting to point out that health insurance is a big fat pool of insured risk - life insurance does use actuarial tables to assign people to risk groups (fat, cancer in family, etc, etc).

Point was that if we're going to ask fatties to pay more for health insurance (or alternatively, to require them to become healthier in order to have health insurance), then we place obesity into a special risk group for health insurance - just as is now done with life insurance. And if you're going to do THAT, then you have to be fair and consider all the risk groups. Like old people. etc.

I do realize that currently, life insurance and health insurance are not run the same ways.

Makes sense to me and I think that's wrong. I'm in favor of single payer health coverage. If we want to completely de-socialized health care, the insurance companies would be free to insure only the healthiest people... or do as life insurance companies do and charge based upon perceived risk. I'm with you that we shouldn't consider these things. I think everyone should have access to healthcare. Let's stop monkeying around and just do it.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

For life insurance policies, particularly whole life policies that will accrue value over time, it's not uncommon to be required to take a physical.

Actually, I had to fill out a questionnaire for my requested additional life insurance through my employer (term life) and they refused to let me purchase the maximum insurance because a) I'm fat and b) they accessed my health care records from a previous doctor, and it showed I took anti-depressants (yes, I tried a freebie pack for 3 weeks, didn't like them, quit using them). So I was denied on those basis.

Health insurance is a different animal.

Right. The statement has been made that fat people's health is everybody's business because they 'cost more' in terms of health insurance claims, and that healthy people resent paying for their health problems. The supposed cure for that is a) fatties get rated higher for health insurance premiums or b) society has a right to demand that fatties get healthier.

As long as health insurance is the way it is - one big pool - then I don't think society has any right to lay claim to the way I treat my body. Too bad it costs society more - it's a socialized program that does not (currently) discriminate based on risk factors.

Now, if you are buying individual health insurance policies, I believe the rules are different. But I'm not at all sure how that works.

 

[Steve]

I'm not sure that stating that Health Care costs are inflated means someone is a Socialist? Nor is there anything wrong with that in the first place.

Tongue in cheek, sukerkin. Currently, anyone who says anything that smacks of fairness or equality is a socialist.

One noted reason why Health Care costs so much is purely economic and centred in the States with it's Insurance-lead pricing (sorry, chaps, this is your fault (again )).

Absolutely. Shame on us for spending more per capita than any other developed nation on health care and getting less out of it based upon almost every conceivable criteria.

Unrelated EDIT: I thought the turn of phrase "unmolested walnut" was an excellent one .

Thank you! It stems from the Jack Lelane philosophy on diet: If man made it, don't eat it. Or, as I read it: Keep your hands off my food.

 

[Steve]

Actually, I had to fill out a questionnaire for my requested additional life insurance through my employer (term life) and they refused to let me purchase the maximum insurance because a) I'm fat and b) they accessed my health care records from a previous doctor, and it showed I took anti-depressants (yes, I tried a freebie pack for 3 weeks, didn't like them, quit using them). So I was denied on those basis.

Again, though, we're talking life insurance. Typically, you get one freebie with an employer. That's why it's advisable for anyone starting a new job to sign up for the maximum insurance you can get up front. It's a term policy, but is often all of the life insurance a person has. And once you've signed up, the company is legally allowed to require physicals or what have you if you attempt to increase your coverage (after that initial period). It's not unheard of, though, for companies to offer the opportunity to increase coverage, no questions asked, from time to time, so keep your eyes out for that.

Right. The statement has been made that fat people's health is everybody's business because they 'cost more' in terms of health insurance claims, and that healthy people resent paying for their health problems. The supposed cure for that is a) fatties get rated higher for health insurance premiums or b) society has a right to demand that fatties get healthier.

I understand. I'm with you on this one.

As long as health insurance is the way it is - one big pool - then I don't think society has any right to lay claim to the way I treat my body. Too bad it costs society more - it's a socialized program that does not (currently) discriminate based on risk factors.

Nope, I agree. Banning a fat, juicy steak is like banning marijuana. Although, as a friend, I would nag you if I thought it would help.

I do want to say, though, that there's a difference between the discussion that we're having now regarding choices of what to eat and the industry and government responsibility to ensure that the food we eat is safe.

Now, if you are buying individual health insurance policies, I believe the rules are different. But I'm not at all sure how that works.

Never done that, either.

 

[Cryozombie]

I was considering the Miller Light Diet.

96 Calories a Can, with only 3.2 carbs per.

On a 2000 Calorie diet,

Thats ALMOST 21 cans a day I can have and maintain a healthy Caloric intake... and with only 64 carbs a day.

Hooray Beer!

 

[Jade Tigress]

I was considering the Miller Light Diet.

96 Calories a Can, with only 3.2 carbs per.

On a 2000 Calorie diet,

Thats ALMOST 21 cans a day I can have and maintain a healthy Caloric intake... and with only 64 carbs a day.

Hooray Beer!

:lfao:

 

[Makalakumu]

I was considering the Miller Light Diet.

96 Calories a Can, with only 3.2 carbs per.

On a 2000 Calorie diet,

Thats ALMOST 21 cans a day I can have and maintain a healthy Caloric intake... and with only 64 carbs a day.

Hooray Beer!

There's a lot of skinny homeless drunks in Kapi'olani Park that survive on that diet!