<p>“The ACA was supposed to charge smokers more but the are not.”</p>
<p>They have to pay a surcharge in many states. </p>
<p>[Health</a> law smoking penalties could hit poor the hardest](<a href=“http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/09/11/aca-smoking-penalties/2793669/]Health”>Health law smoking penalties could hit poor the hardest)</p>
<p>Re: smoking. A computer ‘glitch’ is preventing the increased premiums from being implemented. </p>
<p>There needs to be some sort of actuarial science applied to the premiums aside from age. Obesity adds more to healthcare costs than smoking and that should be factored into premiums. It’s wrong to be charged more for a non- preventable pre-existing condition, but those who are simply irresponsible about their health should be penalized.</p>
<p>I think anyone who ever eats at a fast food restaurant should have to pay more. Or ever drinks soda, or people who ever eat processed food of any kind, or meat. ;)</p>
<p>I could be wrong but I suspect the higher premiums at the moment are resulting from dropping the caps and removing preexisting limitations. This is the unknown risk.</p>
<p>If the 85% for healthcare works out, at some point, the premiums will need to start coming down.</p>
<p>“I think anyone who ever eats at a fast food restaurant should have to pay more. Or ever drinks soda, or people who ever eat processed food of any kind, or meat.”</p>
<p>For many this is the only choice. OTOH, the states will need to pick up their premiums since they are mostly poor if they are eating fastfood on a regular basis.</p>
<p>We just got excellent news - our 21-year-old son, who has a severe mental illness, has been accepted for MaineCare, our state insurance. It may even cover his $9,000 hospital bill (that’s OUR part - the total was over $30k) from the spring. But even if it doesn’t, we can rest easier in the future! I’m so happy I could cry.</p>
<p>Very glad for you mainelonghorn. That is a large tab not to have to pay.</p>
<p>Texas, I was being sarcastic - that is why I <em>winked</em> </p>
<p>There are also a lot of cost saving measures in the law, which, in the long run, should bring the cost of actual care down.</p>
<p>^^That is wonderful. What a stressful situation. Very glad there is some relief for your family!</p>
<p>That is fantastic Mainelonghorn!</p>
<p>I know several people in NY who pay for their own health insurance (not employer-provided) who got refund checks this past year because of the provision of ACA that requires insurers to spend 85 percent of premiums on healthcare.</p>
<p>"Texas, I was being sarcastic "</p>
<p>Wasn’t sure since your city had a law now in legal dispute and I was not sure how many agreed with it.</p>
<p>^ I don’t live in NYC.</p>
<p>My bad then. For some reason it is stuck in my mind that you do.</p>
<p>The rich may choose to pay the penalty and not participate. They could self insure and go to boutique clinics. $10,000 is a lot to pay for a mediocre care. You could get a million dollar life insurance with the saving from not participating. If that happens, social equality is further compromised. We have an excellent insurance at the moment. We may have a gap for a year or two before medicare kicks in. So far, the only medical care we use is annual check ups. i don’t know how I would feel forking out $10K.</p>
<p>I live in NYC and the rule (not a law, a regulation from the Dept. of Health) restricting the sale of gigantic portions of sweetened beverages in certain places has nothing to do with insurance.</p>
<p>Most rich people already have great health insurance. I seriously doubt very many of them will have to even go on the exchange to buy insurance. They can afford insurance outside of the exchange.</p>
<p>ML. Good news!</p>
<p>MaineLonghorn, I am so happy for you and your family.</p>
<p>I don’t like coming off as a Puritan either and I don’t like a nanny state. But just like the arsonist who sets fire to his own house, people who knowingly neglect their own health and incur preventable conditions should not then demand that the rest of us pay for it.</p>
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<p>Uh, not really. (There are essentially no cost saving measures in the law.)</p>
<p>But over time, they will have to add some.</p>