Most Americans think that the obese citizens and smokers in the U.S. should have higher insurance premiums, according to a new poll published yesterday. However, these same Americans aren’t sure how to handle the health insurance situation for the millions of U.S. citizens who don’t have health insurance.
The poll of about 1,500 people determined that 80% of respondents believe the U.S. health insurance system was in need of repair, as an estimated 46.6 million people (hopefully just U.S. citizens) are uninsured. In addition, 60% of those polled favored higher premiums for smokers while 30% believed the obese should pay more.
This statement is one I agree with and see all too often — “When it comes to personal responsibility, consumers increasingly support making people pay more for unhealthy behavior” — which was stated in the report when published in the journal Health Affairs. So many people apparently cannot take responsibility for their own lives when it comes to poor lifestyle choices, but perhaps paying much more will curb those behaviors into healthy ones.
Author by Brian White
