Tobacco use and the ACA (Obamacare)

[Mr. H.]

I recently attended an informational meeting on the ACA, and everything was presented like it was roses and chocolates. Except for one key word- tobacco.

No "pre-existing conditions" to worry about. No one can be denied.

But tobacco usage is the Red Flag here... the only Red Flag.

WASHINGTON — Smokers – and chewers – in some states may have to pay as much as 50% more in premiums than non-smokers if they sign up for insurance through state health exchanges that open next month, according to provisions in the Affordable Care Act.

Health law smoking penalties could hit poor the hardest

So why isn't tobacco use considered a pre-existing condition?

Opponents of the rule argue that smoking is an addiction that can't be ended through punishment and that smokers need insurance because of their health issues. Also, they say, there is no proof that higher costs for insurance cause smokers to quit.

Ahhh... but if you use tobacco AND have a chronic condition, you may come out on the better end of the deal -

...smokers with chronic conditions will at least save money because they won't have to pay higher premiums for having health problems even if they have to pay a penalty for using tobacco.

Evidently, low-income communities will be paying much higher premiums...

"Tobacco disproportionately targets low-income communities,..."

And even the American Lung Association has serious concerns...

The American Lung Association also opposes tobacco surcharges, said Jennifer Singleterry, the group's manager of lung health policy. "We believe smokers should be helped to quit, but not punished for not doing so," she said.
The surcharge could cost people hundreds or even thousands of dollars more, depending on a person's policy and if they are already being charged more for age, she said.

SO... here we have a pre-existing condition that is denied under the ACA and primarily targets the poor.

The Semi-Negro In Chief.

Gotta love that little nappy headed boy.

 

[MeBelle]

Doesn't the President smoke?

 

[Moonglow]

My Papa lived o be 94, he smoked cigs and cigars, dipped Skoal and chewed Redman. he died of Kidnet failure.
People get cancer and die that have never used tobacco.
It's just a reason to jack up the prices by private insurers.

 

[Moonglow]

Doesn't the President smoke?

Bone-her does.

 

[Mr. H.]

Doesn't the President smoke?

Over the years he has inhaled, snorted, drank, dropped and popped.

But do not fear... 47% of the American voting populace can't all be wrong.

 

[Mr. H.]

Doesn't the President smoke?

Bone-her does.

Quit your fucking trolling.

 

[Mr. H.]

It appears that the ACA is a mandate for all Americans to quit using tobacco...

Toolkit: Tobacco Cessation and the Affordable Care Act - American Lung Association

 

[Moonglow]

 

[Moonglow]

 

[Mr. H.]

Hooked on heroin? No problem. We gotcha covered.

Messed up on meth? It's OK... come on down to Obama's ACA.

Got the need for speed? Pay no heed. Your tweek is what we seek.

At Obama's ACA.

 

[Moonglow]

I recently attended an informational meeting on the ACA, and everything was presented like it was roses and chocolates. Except for one key word- tobacco.

No "pre-existing conditions" to worry about. No one can be denied.

But tobacco usage is the Red Flag here... the only Red Flag.

WASHINGTON — Smokers – and chewers – in some states may have to pay as much as 50% more in premiums than non-smokers if they sign up for insurance through state health exchanges that open next month, according to provisions in the Affordable Care Act.

Health law smoking penalties could hit poor the hardest

So why isn't tobacco use considered a pre-existing condition?

Opponents of the rule argue that smoking is an addiction that can't be ended through punishment and that smokers need insurance because of their health issues. Also, they say, there is no proof that higher costs for insurance cause smokers to quit.

Ahhh... but if you use tobacco AND have a chronic condition, you may come out on the better end of the deal -

...smokers with chronic conditions will at least save money because they won't have to pay higher premiums for having health problems even if they have to pay a penalty for using tobacco.

Evidently, low-income communities will be paying much higher premiums...

"Tobacco disproportionately targets low-income communities,..."

And even the American Lung Association has serious concerns...

The American Lung Association also opposes tobacco surcharges, said Jennifer Singleterry, the group's manager of lung health policy. "We believe smokers should be helped to quit, but not punished for not doing so," she said.
The surcharge could cost people hundreds or even thousands of dollars more, depending on a person's policy and if they are already being charged more for age, she said.

SO... here we have a pre-existing condition that is denied under the ACA and primarily targets the poor.

The Semi-Negro In Chief.

Gotta love that little nappy headed boy.

So in your little racists ways you think that if you smoke cigs you have a disease.

 

[Mr. H.]

Which all begs the question... is tobacco usage a matter of checking a box on the application?

Is a blood test involved?

Will the government ultimately draw the blood of every American?

If not, why not?

 

[Mr. H.]

So in your little racists ways you think that if you smoke cigs you have a disease.

Get the fuck out of this thread, Fred.

 

[Mr. H.]

Second hand smoke.

It's linked to lung cancer.

Sidestream smoke has higher concentrations of cancer-causing agents (carcinogens) than mainstream smoke.

Secondhand Smoke

Is the government on top of this?

Yes!

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. National Toxicology Program, the U.S. Surgeon General, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer have all classified secondhand smoke as a known human carcinogen (a cancer-causing agent).

Secondhand Smoke and Cancer - National Cancer Institute

Is it harmful?

Approximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths occur each year among adult nonsmokers in the United States as a result of exposure to secondhand smoke.

Is it covered under the ACA as a "pre-existing condition".

Not no, but FUCK NO.

 

[boedicca]

SO... here we have a pre-existing condition that is denied under the ACA and primarily targets the poor.

The Semi-Negro In Chief.

Gotta love that little nappy headed boy.

Consider this Phase I.

Next, they'll focus on Fat Fatty Junk Food Addicts, who are also predominantly poor.

Connecting the dots, the targets for the first phase of denial of care will be:

- Poor
- Low to non-taxpayers
- With convenient lifestyle issues worth of the Scarlet Letter
- Easily written off as Surplus Population

 

[Mr. H.]

SO... here we have a pre-existing condition that is denied under the ACA and primarily targets the poor.

The Semi-Negro In Chief.

Gotta love that little nappy headed boy.

Consider this Phase I.

Next, they'll focus on Fat Fatty Junk Food Addicts, who are also predominantly poor.

Connecting the dots, the targets for the first phase of denial of care will be:

- Poor
- Low to non-taxpayers
- With convenient lifestyle issues worth of the Scarlet Letter
- Easily written off as Surplus Population

If premiums constitute over just 8% of your income... you get a pass.

The Affordable Care Act?s ?Penalty?: If You Don?t Buy Health Insurance in 2014, How Much Will You Pay? | Health Beat by Maggie Mahar

You opt out, pay no penalty, and go on your merry way... show up sick at the hospital and get... free health care.

 

[Care4all]

It depends on your own State laws....if your state has a law that permits insurance companies to charge more for smoking or if your state does not allow insurance to charge more for smokers...

That's how it is now...some States allow the surcharge, some states don't.

 

[Mr. H.]

It depends on your own State laws....if your state has a law that permits insurance companies to charge more for smoking or if your state does not allow insurance to charge more for smokers...

That's how it is now...some States allow the surcharge, some states don't.

Why doesn't ACA encompass all tobacco users in all states? Is this a national health policy or not? Why are cancer patients covered and not tobacco users?

Drug addicts? Epileptics?? AIDS patients? Turrets syndrome? Agoraphobia? Persons with aversion to cockroach infested fire fighter boots?

Honestly, what the fuck is going on here?

 

[auditor0007]

I recently attended an informational meeting on the ACA, and everything was presented like it was roses and chocolates. Except for one key word- tobacco.

No "pre-existing conditions" to worry about. No one can be denied.

But tobacco usage is the Red Flag here... the only Red Flag.

WASHINGTON — Smokers – and chewers – in some states may have to pay as much as 50% more in premiums than non-smokers if they sign up for insurance through state health exchanges that open next month, according to provisions in the Affordable Care Act.

Health law smoking penalties could hit poor the hardest

So why isn't tobacco use considered a pre-existing condition?

Opponents of the rule argue that smoking is an addiction that can't be ended through punishment and that smokers need insurance because of their health issues. Also, they say, there is no proof that higher costs for insurance cause smokers to quit.

Ahhh... but if you use tobacco AND have a chronic condition, you may come out on the better end of the deal -

...smokers with chronic conditions will at least save money because they won't have to pay higher premiums for having health problems even if they have to pay a penalty for using tobacco.

Evidently, low-income communities will be paying much higher premiums...

"Tobacco disproportionately targets low-income communities,..."

And even the American Lung Association has serious concerns...

The American Lung Association also opposes tobacco surcharges, said Jennifer Singleterry, the group's manager of lung health policy. "We believe smokers should be helped to quit, but not punished for not doing so," she said.
The surcharge could cost people hundreds or even thousands of dollars more, depending on a person's policy and if they are already being charged more for age, she said.

SO... here we have a pre-existing condition that is denied under the ACA and primarily targets the poor.

The Semi-Negro In Chief.

Gotta love that little nappy headed boy.

I smoked for 30 years and paid higher premiums because of it. Too fucking bad. If they want lower premiums, then they should quit like I did. I'm upset that most states are actually not charging higher premiums to smokers, but I didn't set this thing up.

 

[auditor0007]

My Papa lived o be 94, he smoked cigs and cigars, dipped Skoal and chewed Redman. he died of Kidnet failure.
People get cancer and die that have never used tobacco.
It's just a reason to jack up the prices by private insurers.

I love the anecdotal stories about how someone's relative lived to be 100 smoking five packs of cigarettes per day. Those are great stories, but they ignore the millions of people who need to be hooked up to an oxygen tank for the rest of their lives due to smoking. The truth is that lung cancer isn't the worst thing that can happen to a smoker, because that usually kills them quickly. The fact is that smokers cost us more in healthcare, especially as they get older.