Thursday, April 11, 2013

Raising the bar on bad health insurance regulations

I really didn't think the government could top the bad health insurance restriction forbidding companies from charging different rates to men and women because they use up different amounts of health care resources.

Then they outlawed charging smokers more for health insurance in certain geographic regions.

The worst part is, according to the Washington Post, my state of residence already has the rule in place:

The board charged with implementing federal health care reforms in the District has voted to prohibit insurance companies from charging higher premiums to cigarette smokers, adding the city to a handful of states rejecting such surcharges because of the effect they have on poor families who are more likely to smoke. 
The D.C. Health Benefit Exchange executive board voted Monday to join Rhode Island, Vermont and Massachusetts in eliminating smoking premiums in their health care exchanges. 

That means those additional costs will be paid for by other people. People like me.

I don't want to overstate my case or jump to an emotional reaction, but I can honestly say I've never heard of a single thing our government has ever done, ever, that has made me want to join a rebellion to overthrow the government more than this. Never ever ever has something come this close.

Do I even need to explain why this is bad? Why not drop the charade and invent a government program or tax rebate for smokers? This is why we can't have nice things.

Arthur Pigou, can you hear me? I'm sorry, but the progressives have abandoned you.

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