Should those with a high BMI pay more for health insurance?
YES
Side Score: 10
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NO
Side Score: 12
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1
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This article referenced for the debate states that the lifetime medical costs related to diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, hypertension, and stroke among the obese are $10,000 higher. Because medical costs are higher for the obese and insurance premiums do not depend on weight, lighter people pay for the food/exercise decisions of the obese. Because of this, those who are obese should have to pay more for their medical insurance than those who are not just as smokers do! Side: YES
I kind of agree. I feel charging people more for insurance on a criterion that the person has full control over is perfectly justified. Just make sure the person doesn't suffer from PWS first (although, I have my doubts as to whether it actually exists). However, I think BMI is a poor factor to use though as it doesn't take into account muscle mass/body fat, etc. Possibly a mixture of BMI and body fat percentage would be better? What do you think? Side: YES
2
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Yes, there are problems with BMI. For example, Asians tend to have a smaller body frame than whites, and Blacks tend to have a larger frame... so really there needs to be a racially based BMI chart. Plus, there are athletes who have a high BMI yet have a low fat percentage. So you are right, a combination of factors would really be best. Side: YES
I agree on the BMI-as-measure concern. However, I disagree that people have "full control" over their weight. Control, yes, but not FULL control. There are so many contributing factors to being at an unhealthy weight. More research about food, our biology, and not least of all the impact that mass food production and marketing and government influence has on people (especially uneducated people). Side: No
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As a matter of detail, BMI is not regarded as an accurate assessment of health and could be misleading. Also, a study by a health economist, Jay Bhattacharya, shows that obese people already pay for their increased health care premiums in employer group plans by virtue of making less money (discrimination?). But as a matter of principle, the solution is not to make unhealthy people pay more, but rather to enlarge the pool of covered people, so that the the risk of the unhealthy is managed statistically and also to provide more resources toward diet-related research, healthy living and improving the standard of living for all Americans. Empower all people to understand and contribute to our own and each other's well-being. Side: No
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But isn't the very premise of insurance to pay a premium based on the likelihood of you claiming on your insurance? What you speak of is more akin to the social healthcare system we have here (the NHS), free at the point of delivery regardless of medical history or likelihoods. Side: yes
BMI body mass index this does not measure a person correctly for who they are rugby players they are mainly muscle so they can take a beating and can generate more force, power and momentum though the BMI says that these people are overweight or ebese so people that have a higher BMI shouldn't have to pay more. further more just becuase someone is skinny or weighs less doesn't mean that they are healthy. i am sick of people that complain about weight or there diet just get up and do something about it Side: No
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