One of the major themes in Health Care reform is what you or your employer pay for health insurance will not be based upon your current health. Health insurance rates are based upon your age, where you live - but not whether or not you have serious medical problems. This is sometimes known as community ratings.
One of the most powerful ways to reduce the cost of health care is to have people live in ways that don't increase their risk of health problems. About 75% of health care costs are attributed to the chronic conditions of (Obesity, cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes) -- where the greatest improvements are made by changing how people live their lives.
This raises the question of "Should private insurers or the public option provide rebates to those who live their lives in ways that lower health care costs?"
Having a tax-free annual rebate check going to the individual would provide people with an incentive and annual reminder do make the changes in their lives to improve their health.
To make this work simply, the items to check for a healthier lifestyle should be easy for a doctor or nurse to be able to verify during a check-up and simple tests.
Rebates would be earned for:
- Not smoking or making significant progress.
- Not being medically obese, or making significant progress in correcting this.
- Not being overweight (or seriously underweight), or making significant progress in correcting this.
- If one has high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc., verify one is taking their prescribed medications.
- One is not engaging in alcohol or drug abuse.
- One gets an annual check-up with a doctor or nurse.
In order to get the rebate, one must have the annual check-up with a doctor or nurse, where the individual earns rebates for each item a person qualifies for (also a t-shirt, bumper sticker, etc.). If you don't get the check-up there is no rebate for the year. Based upon similar programs used by some companies - these rebates range from a $500 dollars per year for an individual to $2,000 per year for a family (depending upon the individual's age - and insurance cost for people of the same age).
"Should private insurers or the public option provide rebates to those who live their lives in ways that lower their health care costs?"