4 ms·

It seems like that tone of all comments regarding "how this hurts insurance companies", fails to see a few things: - The risk was always on the consumer, that'

by bushido 13y ago

It seems like that tone of all comments regarding "how this hurts insurance companies", fails to see a few things: - The risk was always on the consumer, that's how insurance works. For common major ailments (breast cancer, heart attacks etc.) those are already factored in and does not change the actuarial calculations in any way. - As far as splitting insurance coverage being an option - That's not possible, not anymore anyways. Obamacare takes care of that. If the insurance co's can't do it for pre-existing conditions (aka the insured had the condition already) there is no way they will be able to do it for this. Also, considering: - Insurance is already mandatory - ACA (The Affordable Care Act) does away with pre-existing conditions and gender discrimination so these factors will no longer affect the cost of your insurance on or off the marketplace. - You can’t be denied health coverage based on health status. - You can’t be dropped from coverage when you are sick. - All new plans sold on or off the marketplace must include a wide range of new benefits including wellness visits and preventative tests and treatments at no additional out-of-pocket cost The only real result of knowing that you may be of higher risk of the lurgy, results in you using these preventative treatments, thus reducing the future costs of illness if you actually mitigate the risk/avoid the lurgy all together. And the endgame would be that there is a higher probability that everyone wins. Assuming the ACA is not going anywhere this can only reduce costs in the long term for both the insured and the insurers.

joosters 13y ago
(n.b. I'm no expert about the specifics of US healthcare law, my comments here are generalised) You don't need the insurers to drop coverage, deny insurance based upon health status, or do any form of discrimination. The system still breaks if the consumers, the healthcare insurance buyers, know more. If there are two healthcare plans on the market, one that covers the lurgy, and one that doesn't, then buyers with knowledge of their own health prospects will flock to the one that covers them best. The lurgy-covering plan will have to raise prices to remain viable. And so those with the lurgy genes get penalised despite the insurers being completely regulated and without them breaking any of the rules that you have listed.

by bushido 13y ago

joosters 13y ago

(n.b. I'm no expert about the specifics of US healthcare law, my comments here are generalised) You don't need the insurers to drop coverage, deny insurance based upon health status, or do any form of discrimination. The system still breaks if the consumers, the healthcare insurance buyers, know more. If there are two healthcare plans on the market, one that covers the lurgy, and one that doesn't, then buyers with knowledge of their own health prospects will flock to the one that covers them best. The lurgy-covering plan will have to raise prices to remain viable. And so those with the lurgy genes get penalised despite the insurers being completely regulated and without them breaking any of the rules that you have listed.