Raise insurance for anti-vaxxers.

[gab13by13]

I saw an article on Raw Story where people are demanding that health insurance companies raise rates on un-vaccinated people. The logistics of doing so may be the problem. The proof that I was vaccinated is a tiny card the pharmacy gave me. When I go for my doctor's check up they seem to know if I got the flu shot or not.

Hospitals can put pressure on insurance companies seeing as many are affiliated with them.

I guess it can be done though, smokers pay more right?

[Lovie777]

1. It's not the Democrats, it's the health care insurance groups . ..

which usually are from the "R" party. The "R" party constantly screws their base.

[gab13by13]

4. I was going to mention that,

the fact that corporate America is right wing, for the most part. It is about profit though and sooner or later Republican share holders will complain when their stock drops.

Some insurance rates may be not touchable in union contracts.

At some point politics won't matter, money matters.

[Tribetime]

2. They should it's a higher risk group

[samnsara]

3. i think they should.. dont they charge more for risky behavior?

[KY_EnviroGuy]

5. It might work better for the Federal government to offer cash incentives

for those who are fully vaccinated, sort of like the stimulus.

Why the Government? Because a large number of unvaccinated people are on government subsidized medical care such as Medicare, Medicaid or Tricare, not private insurance.

That's the only way I can see for it to be fair across the board, since we could not force insurance carriers to either penalize the unvaccinated or reward the vaccinated.

Either way is vulnerable to cheaters and Republicans will throw a hissy fit in any case 'cause freedom and taxes.

KY

[Grins]

11. A better 'cash incentive' is

…your insurance premiums don’t DOUBLE - for the rest of your life. Which is better; a onetime check for $100, or not paying an extra $250 A MONTH?

[Johnny2X2X]

6. They already are

They've been prepping for this for some time. The costs of Covid hospital stays are enormous. Employers will be paying more and we already know they have the right to verify their employees vaccination status. It might not be deployed many places, but when new rates go into effect in January, there will definitely be higher rates for non vaccinated employees some places.

[Ms. Toad]

17. No, there will not be.

Under the ACA, insurance cannot charge different rates except for 5 reasons Vaccination status is NOT one of them.

[Paladin]

7. +1000. Starting this afternoon, if possible. (nt)

[Jose Garcia]

8. How about obese people too?

[Grins]

12. Is it contagious?

[Jose Garcia]

18. No, but they take up ICU beds when they have heart attacks and strokes

[Midnight Writer]

9. I imagine rates will go up for ALL of us.

My group plan charges everyone the same, even smokers. I think most group plans do. They spread the cost over a large number of people.

This should be publicized to further pressure non-vaxxers.

Your rights end where the next person's pocketbook begins.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

10. We could also put vaccinated patients ahead of unvaccinated patients at ERs

[former9thward]

15. So if someone is brought in to the ER and does not have their vax card

with them, then they would go to the back of the line?

I surprised that someone who has a Lawyer icon in with their posts would suggest hospitals could violate the The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act. There would be no end of lawsuits if that was the policy.

[BlueCheeseAgain]

13. Doesn't the ACA forbid this?

There are very few permitted reasons you can charge some people more than others under the ACA, and I'm guessing Covid vaccination can't be interpreted as being one of them.

What can be done, I think, is that insurance companies can stop waiving the deductible/copay costs of Covid treatment.

[former9thward]

14. Yes it does.

What about those who are vax and get Covid anyway? The costs would be raised on them also.

[Ms. Toad]

16. It CANNOT be done.

Why does no one remember the pre-ACA days, and one of the main problems the ACA was designed to solve - arbitrary decisions by insurance companies that put access to health care out of reach of anyone with any significant health care issues.

The ACA prohibits the insurance companies from charging more except for 5 reasons:

smoking, age, geographic location, family v. individual, and plan type (bronze, silver, etc)

vaccination status is not one of those reasons.