Small Families Subsidizing Large Families.

[AVG-JOE]

Right now, most health insurance premiums are structured in such a way that a family with 1 child pays the same as a family with 8 kids.

Is this fair?

 

[Cecilie1200]

Right now, most health insurance premiums are structured in such a way that a family with 1 child pays the same as a family with 8 kids.

Is this fair?

I kinda have to doubt this, since I've never seen a private insurance plan that doesn't charge more for each person you're paying for.

 

[AVG-JOE]

Right now, most health insurance premiums are structured in such a way that a family with 1 child pays the same as a family with 8 kids.

Is this fair?

I kinda have to doubt this, since I've never seen a private insurance plan that doesn't charge more for each person you're paying for.

I don't know... every insurance plan I have ever considered, and there have been many, has had 4 categories for premiums:

1. Employee​

2. Employee + Spouse​

3. Employee + Children​

4. Employee + Spouse + Children​

I have never seen one that charges more for more kids. It's always 'all or nothing'.

 

[Emma]

That's how our plans work. You simply pay for "children", and it's the same regardless of number.

 

[AVG-JOE]

That's how our plans work. You simply pay for "children", and it's the same regardless of number.

So... what do you think? Is that fair?

 

[WillowTree]

Right now, most health insurance premiums are structured in such a way that a family with 1 child pays the same as a family with 8 kids.

Is this fair?

Hell no!

 

[rdean]

That's how our plans work. You simply pay for "children", and it's the same regardless of number.

So... what do you think? Is that fair?

No. But a family with 8 children is probably anti birth control.

 

[AVG-JOE]

That's how our plans work. You simply pay for "children", and it's the same regardless of number.

So... what do you think? Is that fair?

No. But a family with 8 children is probably anti birth control.

Perhaps they'd reconsider that position if they had to individually insure each new little mouth that comes along.

 

[Anguille]

That's how our plans work. You simply pay for "children", and it's the same regardless of number.

So... what do you think? Is that fair?

No. But a family with 8 children is probably anti birth control.

That's no reason why anyone else should subsidize their beliefs. If they don't believe in birth control maybe they shouldn't be having sex.

 

[RadiomanATL]

Right now, most health insurance premiums are structured in such a way that a family with 1 child pays the same as a family with 8 kids.

Is this fair?

I kinda have to doubt this, since I've never seen a private insurance plan that doesn't charge more for each person you're paying for.

I don't know... every insurance plan I have ever considered, and there have been many, has had 4 categories for premiums:

1. Employee​

2. Employee + Spouse​

3. Employee + Children​

4. Employee + Spouse + Children​

I have never seen one that charges more for more kids. It's always 'all or nothing'.

*Shrug*

So opt out of the company plan and get a private plan.

 

[Anguille]

So... what do you think? Is that fair?

No. But a family with 8 children is probably anti birth control.

Perhaps they'd reconsider that position if they had to individually insure each new little mouth that comes along.

I wonder if the Octomom would?

 

[AVG-JOE]

I kinda have to doubt this, since I've never seen a private insurance plan that doesn't charge more for each person you're paying for.

I don't know... every insurance plan I have ever considered, and there have been many, has had 4 categories for premiums:

1. Employee​

2. Employee + Spouse​

3. Employee + Children​

4. Employee + Spouse + Children​

I have never seen one that charges more for more kids. It's always 'all or nothing'.

*Shrug*

So opt out of the company plan and get a private plan.

That is simply not an option for most people, and the question is not about availability of options, it is about the fairness of charging a family with 1 little germ factory the same as a family with 8 of 'em running around.

 

[RadiomanATL]

I don't know... every insurance plan I have ever considered, and there have been many, has had 4 categories for premiums:

1. Employee​

2. Employee + Spouse​

3. Employee + Children​

4. Employee + Spouse + Children​

I have never seen one that charges more for more kids. It's always 'all or nothing'.

*Shrug*

So opt out of the company plan and get a private plan.

That is simply not an option for most people, and the question is not about availability of options, it is about the fairness of charging a family with 1 little germ factory the same as a family with 8 of 'em running around.

Its not about fairness, its about the distribution of risk over a larger group.

Here's another one for you: If yer young, yer also subsidizing all those old farts that work for your company that have to go see a doctor more than you do, and for far more serious maladies.

It's just the way it works. Oh, and for the most part kids are actually lower risk than adults. Yes, they see the pediatrician more, but they have far far fewer health problems than the adults for the most part. Their doctor visits are mainly routine checkups/immunizations. This is why kids are relatively cheap to insure, and why group insurance doesn't really care how many you have.

Oh, and its always an option to opt out if you don't like the terms.

 

[AVG-JOE]

*Shrug*

So opt out of the company plan and get a private plan.

That is simply not an option for most people, and the question is not about availability of options, it is about the fairness of charging a family with 1 little germ factory the same as a family with 8 of 'em running around.

Its not about fairness, its about the distribution of risk over a larger group.

Here's another one for you: If yer young, yer also subsidizing all those old farts that work for your company that have to go see a doctor more than you do, and for far more serious maladies.

It's just the way it works. Oh, and for the most part kids are actually lower risk than adults. Yes, they see the pediatrician more, but they have far far fewer health problems than the adults for the most part. Their doctor visits are mainly routine checkups/immunizations. This is why kids are relatively cheap to insure, and why group insurance doesn't really care how many you have.

Oh, and its always an option to opt out if you don't like the terms.

This is actually an answer that makes a certain amount of sense, right up to the "It's just the way it works" line. Changing the way 'it' works and making 'it' more fair is what the national health care discussion is all about.

It still don't seem right that 1 kid families pay the same for health care coverage as 8 kid families. Each of those little ankle biters is going to have to pay for individual coverage when they grow up... might as well start early.

Personally I think people who make bad choices, like smoking, should pay more too... some would argue that folks with the bad luck to contract something like diabetes aught to pay higher premiums too, but I disagree, that's where spreading risk becomes a factor.

On the other hand, how many cases of diabetes could be prevented by better choices in life? Diabetes is one of those things, like cancer, that you can invite in to your life via poor choices or you can get via bad luck in spite of making good choices.

 

[RadiomanATL]

That is simply not an option for most people, and the question is not about availability of options, it is about the fairness of charging a family with 1 little germ factory the same as a family with 8 of 'em running around.

Its not about fairness, its about the distribution of risk over a larger group.

Here's another one for you: If yer young, yer also subsidizing all those old farts that work for your company that have to go see a doctor more than you do, and for far more serious maladies.

It's just the way it works. Oh, and for the most part kids are actually lower risk than adults. Yes, they see the pediatrician more, but they have far far fewer health problems than the adults for the most part. Their doctor visits are mainly routine checkups/immunizations. This is why kids are relatively cheap to insure, and why group insurance doesn't really care how many you have.

Oh, and its always an option to opt out if you don't like the terms.

This is actually an answer that makes a certain amount of sense, right up to the "It's just the way it works" line. Changing the way 'it' works and making 'it' more fair is what the national health care discussion is all about.

You can not like the way an internal combustion engine works either, but talking about it isn't going to change the way it actually works.

Either sign up, or don't. Either use the engine, or don't.

 

[Emma]

Given that insurance companies are all about $$$, I'd be willing to bet they don't calculate their family rates based upon only one child. They no doubt take an average (maybe a bit more) and go from there.

At my last job, the only choices were 'employee' and 'family'.

 

[PatekPhilippe]

Right now, most health insurance premiums are structured in such a way that a family with 1 child pays the same as a family with 8 kids.

Is this fair?

I kinda have to doubt this, since I've never seen a private insurance plan that doesn't charge more for each person you're paying for.

I don't know... every insurance plan I have ever considered, and there have been many, has had 4 categories for premiums:

1. Employee​

2. Employee + Spouse​

3. Employee + Children​

4. Employee + Spouse + Children​

I have never seen one that charges more for more kids. It's always 'all or nothing'.

and there is currently A CAP on coverage..so yes...it's fair...once the government run bullshit starts you won't have to worry any more..because we will all be broke from paying back the Chinese and the Saudis. Then we can get on welfare.

 

[AVG-JOE]

Its not about fairness, its about the distribution of risk over a larger group.

Here's another one for you: If yer young, yer also subsidizing all those old farts that work for your company that have to go see a doctor more than you do, and for far more serious maladies.

It's just the way it works. Oh, and for the most part kids are actually lower risk than adults. Yes, they see the pediatrician more, but they have far far fewer health problems than the adults for the most part. Their doctor visits are mainly routine checkups/immunizations. This is why kids are relatively cheap to insure, and why group insurance doesn't really care how many you have.

Oh, and its always an option to opt out if you don't like the terms.

This is actually an answer that makes a certain amount of sense, right up to the "It's just the way it works" line. Changing the way 'it' works and making 'it' more fair is what the national health care discussion is all about.

You can not like the way an internal combustion engine works either, but talking about it isn't going to change the way it actually works.

Either sign up, or don't. Either use the engine, or don't.

Bullshit.

Felix Wankel

Wankel engine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[RadiomanATL]

This is actually an answer that makes a certain amount of sense, right up to the "It's just the way it works" line. Changing the way 'it' works and making 'it' more fair is what the national health care discussion is all about.

You can not like the way an internal combustion engine works either, but talking about it isn't going to change the way it actually works.

Either sign up, or don't. Either use the engine, or don't.

Bullshit.

Felix Wankel

Wankel engine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I posted that you can't change the way an internal combustion engine works.... and your rebuttal is posting an internal combustion engine that works like an internal combustion engine?

 

[AVG-JOE]

Given that insurance companies are all about $$$, I'd be willing to bet they don't calculate their family rates based upon only one child. They no doubt take an average (maybe a bit more) and go from there.

At my last job, the only choices were 'employee' and 'family'.

And finally the truth is skirted around.

Instead of taking the time to figure actual costs, the insurance lobby paid congress to allow them to charge small families, who decided to restrict the number of children they had for whatever reason, the same as large families, increasing their profits in doing so.

Since virtually all of the insurance plans sold through employers are like this and since employer provided insurance pretty much IS the marketplace here in America, I say with confidence, so much for the concept of 'competition' in the current insurance market.