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In a shared resource like health insurance, you either pay for your actions or the actions of others. If you're a health conscious person that only eats health

by 300bps 12y ago

In a shared resource like health insurance, you either pay for your actions or the actions of others. If you're a health conscious person that only eats healthy food, gets 8 hours if sleep every night and participates in moderate exercise, you're paying the same premium as someone who scarfs down junk food, sleeps 3 hours per night and never exercises. Maybe if there were a surcharge for every unhealthful thing, people would choose to be healthier and healthcare costs would actually come down.

aikah 12y ago
> Maybe if there were a surcharge for every unhealthful thing, people would choose to be healthier and healthcare costs would actually come down. yeah,and why not a mandatory rfid chip so they can monitor your health in realtime and adjust your premium,hey?. And you are driving ? you're then more likely to have an accident so your insurance should go up.Watching TV on the sofa instead of running? not healthy! Here you pay 10% more. Running? it's not unlikely you get a heart attack, what about 5% more? Do you have any idea how stupid you sound?
- nilsbunger 12y ago
  Such name calling is uncalled for on a well- meaning comment that you disagree with. And in broad strokes the concept is sound - Why should I pay for others' bad habits? I'm much more sympathetic to things you can't control (and admittedly there is a gray zone in between). The example that really bugs me is federally backed flood insurance. People build homes in places that aren't safe, and then taxpayers bail them out. Moral hazard.
  - davedx 12y ago
    > The example that really bugs me is federally backed flood insurance. People build homes in places that aren't safe, and then taxpayers bail them out. Moral hazard. Hah. So, I live in the Netherlands. Do you think that everybody who lives here should move to Belgium or Germany then, given the flooding hazard here? Are the Delta Works projects a huge waste of tax payer's money? Or is it different when your entire country is at flood risk?
    - icebraining 12y ago
      Of course it's different - when everyone's at risk, nobody's paying for others' foolishness.
lotsofcows 12y ago
Not sure why you got downvoted. I would be upset if what you describe happened (although it does happen to a certain degree) but I can't argue with the logic.

by 300bps 12y ago

aikah 12y ago

> Maybe if there were a surcharge for every unhealthful thing, people would choose to be healthier and healthcare costs would actually come down. yeah,and why not a mandatory rfid chip so they can monitor your health in realtime and adjust your premium,hey?. And you are driving ? you're then more likely to have an accident so your insurance should go up.Watching TV on the sofa instead of running? not healthy! Here you pay 10% more. Running? it's not unlikely you get a heart attack, what about 5% more? Do you have any idea how stupid you sound?

nilsbunger 12y ago
Such name calling is uncalled for on a well- meaning comment that you disagree with. And in broad strokes the concept is sound - Why should I pay for others' bad habits? I'm much more sympathetic to things you can't control (and admittedly there is a gray zone in between). The example that really bugs me is federally backed flood insurance. People build homes in places that aren't safe, and then taxpayers bail them out. Moral hazard.
- davedx 12y ago
  > The example that really bugs me is federally backed flood insurance. People build homes in places that aren't safe, and then taxpayers bail them out. Moral hazard. Hah. So, I live in the Netherlands. Do you think that everybody who lives here should move to Belgium or Germany then, given the flooding hazard here? Are the Delta Works projects a huge waste of tax payer's money? Or is it different when your entire country is at flood risk?
  - icebraining 12y ago
    Of course it's different - when everyone's at risk, nobody's paying for others' foolishness.

lotsofcows 12y ago

Not sure why you got downvoted. I would be upset if what you describe happened (although it does happen to a certain degree) but I can't argue with the logic.