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Health Insurance for SmokersHealth Insurance for Smokers It is common knowledge that smoking is unhealthy and that smokers are a greater risk to health insurance companies than non-smokers are. The Surgeon General's report in 1964, Smoking and Heath made the public aware of the dangers of smoking and of the relationship between smoking, medical costs and mortality. The issue of health insurance for smokers and tobacco users has created some controversy over the years. For decades, statistics have been showing the costs associated with health insurance for smokers. When comparing medical records of smokers with non-smokers, researchers found that smokers have much higher hospital admission rates than non-smokers, stay quite a bit longer while in the hospital, have outpatient costs that are much higher and require health insurance payments that are at least 50% higher for smokers. There is a significant difference in costs for health care and this has implications for the cost of health insurance for tobacco users. Smoker Health Insurance RatesHealth insurance companies and employers have adopted a variety of approaches to deal with the issue of health insurance for smokers. Some companies have offered policies priced according to an individual's health status including whether they are smokers or not. The State of South Dakota took a major step by raising the monthly health insurance premiums of their employees who are smokers by $25. If the employee’s spouse smokes and is covered under the plan as well, the monthly fee would be $50. John Bragg, a former President of the Society of Actuaries and past CEO of Life of Georgia, provided the following table showing the differences in costs for health insurance for smokers and non-smokers:
How to Save on Health Insurance if You're a SmokerAnother approach to providing health insurance for smokers is to cover programs which help smokers quit such as the South Carolina Free and Clear® Quit for Life– Program that has been very successful in helping people stop tobacco use. The Quit for Life– coach often asks the smoker's physician to authorize Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) and the health insurance covers the program as well as products for smokers including patches, gums or lozenges. Among the trends in the health insurance industry is matching health risks with insurance policies. In fact, for those who want to go more in depth, there is an amazing amount of research and information available regarding the health risks associated with smoking including the effects of second hand smoke all over the web. If you are a smoker looking to buy health insurance, you will probably have to pay higher premiums. Insurance companies could even refuse to cover you because you smoke. The best and healthiest decision you could make would be to quit smoking. If you need help quitting, you can find many new treatments and programs to help. However, if you feel that you are not ready to quit smoking at this time, be sure to compare several health insurance companies because rates for premiums will probably vary quite a bit. Get The Best Rates On Health Insurance for Smokers Now By Filling Out The Quick Form At The Top Of This Page.USInsuranceOnline provides quotes for health insurance of all types so our members can compare prices and save money. |