The insurance industry simply perpetrates the myth that they cost more to insure, because smokers are an easy scapegoat, and an easy way to get more income by charging higher premiums.
Now HOW REASONABLE is it that a for-profit organization would just perpetuate myths so they can lose an opportunity to make money?!! Such a statement is patently absurd.
I remember there was a small construction company that was self-insured. 26 employees in a typical year. The secretary whom everyone just adored got cancer from her smoking habit and her care, which extended but did not save her life, tanked the entire company. 25 people out of work and another company belly-up thanks to one smoker. FACTS are tough things to negotiate around.
The primary cause of my mother's death was smoking, but she would not have died quite so early had she not had AS. She was one of the lucky ones who die suddenly instead of being tortured by lung cancer and being an RN, I'm sure she would have dutifully taken those chemo treatments.
Insurance companies employ statisticians keen in actuarial science--and they look at the hard numbers and decide that smokers cost them enough extra cash that they either refuse to insure them or charge them a considerable premium for their habit--which is not and should never be considered a "pre-existing condition." So, if smokers actually save them money, why do they charge them more! Maybe we need to hire those experts in statistics and get them to run the numbers again and start our own insurance company for smokers--we could make a fortune--are YOU ready to invest? If insurance companies are evil, what is YOUR solution?
The FACT is that nobody in USA is forced to buy insurance--YET. And I know plenty of people who just pay as they go and like it that way. Some even post bonds instead of carrying auto insurance; they also own plenty of insurance company stock but don't patronize them.
I agree that the tobacco industry is evil--putting ammonia in cigarettes to make the nicotine many times more addictive (more even than heroin according to some experts) is a very evil act and also knowingly covering up the harmful effects of their products, perhaps that is even more evil, but to compare them with insurance companies?!!
My smoking president has tried to demonize bankers now--are they evil? What about lawyers? He never mentions them!! Oh yeah, he is a smoking
lawyer... And unions? How about the maffia, are they evil? Like maybe the Daley Machine? Insurance companies are WAY DOWN my list of our evils--something far below congress even.
CONGRATULATIONS on being smoke-free for two years, Johnny, I am sure that Your new family appreciates Your discipline,
Regards,
John
