Do you think accountability should be a factor in the cost of your medical insur

1. 71

   Abby Campbellposted 11 years ago

   Do you think accountability should be a factor in the cost of your medical insurance premiums?
   
   With any type of insurance whether it be for our vehicles or home, the price is based on the value. If you have a Mazerati or Rolls Royce, you will pay more than the person who owns a Ford Fiesta. If you own a single family home with 6 bedrooms, 5 baths, and a 3 car garage, you will pay more than someone with a 1 bedroom efficient condo. If you live a healthy lifestyle, you most likely will not need to see the doctor or have surgery as someone who doesn't have healthy eating or exercise habits. Do you think that accountability should be factored into your medical insurance premiums.
   
   

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2. 86

   btrbellposted 11 years ago

   That's an interesting question. I wonder how they would do it?  They already take smoking into account and most insurances have, at least, a a discount for  health clubs. Some health insurances require a physical exam first.
   I wonder how they would measure it. Would it be on the honor system?
   I think this is an interesting and valid point. I'm just not site how it would be done.
   On a side note: when I broke my foot last year, I had 2 friends, one broke her foot in boy call and the other broke his ankle running in a marathon! My point in bringing this up is that the 3 of us practice healthy lifestyle but still had big medical expenses last year

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   1. 71

      Abby Campbellposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Accidents happen, Randi, but I don't think that should really affect our insurance as much as lifestyle (unless it happens all the time... lol). I would think that lifestyle choices would be interpreted through annual labs and physicals.

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3. 72

   pagesvoiceposted 11 years ago

   As someone who spent the majority of his career within the insurance industry, I must admit I find this question somewhat troubling. My background in insurance was that of a claims specialist, claims manager, benefit administrator and then I moved into sales of life, group, accident and health insurance, I went out of the salaried positions and became a New York State insurance broker and a New York State Insurance consultant. I was also licensed in several other states. Before I answered your question I wanted to provide you with my brief biography, simply so you are aware I know the insurance business inside out...both on a corporate and sales level.
   
   Comparing automobiles, real estate and the like to health insurance premiums is the equivalent of apples to oranges. Actuaries, employed by insurance companies put to use their mathematical abilities in determining premium costs. There are a myriad of factors they use, but by and large, to spread the risk, an actuary uses the "law of large numbers." Of course, some medical plans are "experience rated," which simply means  that the higher their claims payouts are, then the premiums in the following year will be adjusted accordingly. Again, let me stress this is still based on the law of large numbers.   
   
   Insurance companies are not in business to care for their policyholders well being. No...they are in business to make a profit. No one has a crystal ball and whenever a new medical report comes out hailing the benefits of eating one type of food, without fail, a few years later that food group is found to be bad for you. I have known many people in their teens, thirties and fifties who didn't smoke or drink and yet dropped dead walking into school, jogging, or on a treadmill.
   
   "Accountability" is an open ended word, left to many varying interruptions. Accordingly, I do not believe premiums on health insurance should be different for different types of people, based on current opinions regarding what is healthy and what is not because as sure as the sun rises and sets, those opinions will change.

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   1. 71

      Abby Campbellposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you for your voice, pagesvoice. I guess 'accountability' was not a great choice of words. Maybe I should have asked, "Do you think we should discount premiums or award a bonus-back to those who limit their use of insurance. Make sense?

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