Should health insurance premiums be more directly linked to individual risk factors

Should be no different than life insurance

So you’re FOR underwriting using pre-existing conditions.

Obviously

Healthcare.gov

Check out the link. Click on download zip and then open excel. Filter to Louisiana and pick a parish. Excel sheet shows all of the different plans offered on exchange and the associated rates for each group of people.

The point is that currently there are very few different rates for members.

Rates should certainly be more dependent on individual risk. Insurers generally don’t even individualize to the current allowed levels though. Additionally, adjusting something as simple as age bands would do a tremendous amount to lower younger peoples insurance costs.

Would that include risk factors such as playing sports would increase rates, drive over so many miles a year increases rates, drink alcohol , Have more than one sexual partner, etc?

You open Pandora’s box and you won’t like what you get

Could a regular prostate massage bring rates down as it decreases the likelihood of prostate cancer and depression?

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So just because I smoke and enjoy desserts means I need to pay more for health insurance ( a basic human right I’m told)?

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Why would or should it be any different than say something like Freedom of Speech? You have the right to say what you want but that doesn’t absolve you from any consequences arising from exercising that right.

You indeed have the right to drink smoke and do whatever but why shouldn’t you bear some responsibility for those choices?

If you constantly get speeding tickets and accidents do you expect your car insurance increases to be picked up by others too?

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Would that include risk factors such as playing sports would increase rates, drive over so many miles a year increases rates, drink alcohol , Have more than one sexual partner, etc?

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I remember when I took out my first large life insurance policy back in my late 20s and they went deep into my hobbies like diving and rock climbing. They ask detailed questions about my rock climbing and mountaineering there were germane but blew me away how detailed they were. They also took a blood sample. While I was surprised at many of the questions that made sense and I recognized they impacted the potential for them to have to pay out for me at a young age.

I don't have a concrete opinion on this I was just writing my check to the firm for my insurance for November and it struck me I pay exactly the same as one of my partners (both 53yo) that is 130 pounds heavier than me, smokes 2 packs a day, is on statins and BP meds, thinks heavy exercise is 12 oz curls and had a triple CABG last year and is planning bilateral peripheral vascular surgery on his legs later this year. In contrast, the insurance company has paid more out this year for just his scripts than insurance companies have paid out for me in all 53 years of my life. This certainly isn't "fair" but I am curious if people think it is "right".

I had an work place health insurance deal where smokers have to pay like $100 extra / month