Health Insurance Daily

Public supports lower premiums for healthy lifestyles

A majority of Americans support higher health insurance premiums, deductibles and copayments for people engaged in unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking, overeating and being sedentary, reveals a recent survey from the Wall Street Journal and Harris Interactive. The new numbers reveal a shift in attitudes among health-conscious adults towards individuals with unhealthy habits.

Roughly 53% of U.S. adults feel it's fair to ask people with unhealthy lifestyles to pay higher premiums than people with healthier lifestyles, up from 37% in 2003, while 32% consider that unfair, down from 46% in 2003. Similarly, 53% of U.S. adults agree it's fair to charge people with unhealthy lifestyles higher deductibles and copays, up from 36% in 2003, while 30% state that is unfair, down from 47% in 2003. A healthy lifestyle was described as exercising regularly, eating healthy foods and not smoking.

“As health care costs continue to rise, more consumers can see the logic of giving employees who make healthier choices a break," says John Shull, chief executive of Tennessee-based Gordian Health Solutions, a disease management firm. “Most chronic illnesses are tied to lifestyle-driven choices, such as poor diet, lack of exercise or smoking. When offered a choice of lower health care premiums, along with the programs and health coaching to help them succeed in living a healthier life, employees have all the right reasons to make changes.”

Article provided by BenefitNews - July 25, 2006

posted by Mike @ 4:08 PM