Confirming a trend towards more individualized health insurance pay rates, a new WSJ.com/Harris health-care poll indicates growing U.S. support for charging higher insurance premiums or out-of-pockets medical costs to people with unhealthy lifestyles. In the latest poll, 53% also felt it was fair to charge higher deductibles or co-payments to people with unhealthy lifestyles, while 30% said that would be unfair. In 2003, 36% said it would be fair and 47% said it would be unfair. Among other findings: 56% agreed that people who are unemployed and poor should get the same quality health care as people who are employed and pay substantial taxes. The online survey of 2,325 U.S. adults found that 53% of Americans think it is fair to ask people with unhealthy lifestyles to pay higher insurance premiums than people with healthy lifestyles, while 32% said it would be unfair. When asked the same question in 2003, 37% said it would be fair, while 45% said it would be unfair. Healthy lifestyles were described as not smoking, exercising frequently and controlling one's weight. For the full results of the study, go to http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115324313567509976.html?mod=djemHL |
