Nathan Saper <natedog@well.com> wrote:
Close. I am arguing that insurance companies shouldn't be allowed to deny coverage based upon factors that the insuree does not have control over. For example, I smoke, so I really can't blame an insurance company for charging me extra, because that's a factor I have control over.
The fact that it's not the insuree's fault does _not_ mean that it's the insurer's fault. Said another way, the insurance company has no additional responsibility to (WLOG) me because I have a genetic defect. However, you're proposing that the insurance company endeavor to waste money on those who are known to be "losers" as far as insurance goes. You as a smoker should be the most outraged in such a situation; the strict standards that keep you from getting insurance at a good rate do not apply to me because my elevated risk for e.g. heart disease has a different source. It's not the cause of the risk that concerns the insurance companies, it's the existance of the risk. That's all they need judge upon, and any interference by the government saying otherwise is an unreasonable burden on private enterprise.
Fine. I'll try to find some numbers. I don't have any off the top of my head, though. It just seems that because A) the insurance companies make good profits and B) the number of people denied coverage based upon genetic abnormalities is fairly small, it wouldn't affect them too much.
"It won't hurt them _that_much_ to lose a little money on these people; thus, they should be forced to do so." Preposterous.
Coverage is most often less expensive than care. Therefore, one may be able to afford the coverage, but not afford the care, if it ends up being required.
Still not the insurance company's fault. They're not there to save my sorry, genetically defective ass, they're there to make money.
Isn't this the whole idea of insurance? You pay them x dollars, and if you end up getting sick, they most likely have to pay more than x dollars to treat you. The insurers are banking on the fact that the majority of the people who have insurance don't get sick.
Right. And if they're forced to insure people who are money sinks for them, everyone's rates go up, because the total amount of risk the insurance company takes (expressed as the amount of money they pay out as claims) plus their profit must equal the amount of money they make on premiums. -- Riad Wahby rsw@mit.edu MIT VI-2/A 2002 5105