individual cost tied to lifestyle
If I smoke, I pay 20-30-40% more. If I am overweight I pay 20-30-40% more. If I my BMI is 15-20% and I exercise a documented five hours a week, my rates are 20-30-40% lower.
I am amazed to drop by the hospital and see the overweight person with an IV bag, out at the street corner in a hospital gown smoking a cigarette.
If I have a house at the beach the insurance is much higher than the same house in Raleigh. The penalties have to be severe with a risk of no insurance.
Lifestyle and preventive choices have been discussed a lot lately both within the industry and in the media. For example, employer wellness programs continue to evolve and vary between the “carrot and the stick” approach, by offering rewards to employees for making healthy decisions, or offering a disincentive such as charging higher fees for smokers. Which do you think is most effective?
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