Does the senate version of Obama care give breaks to Pot smokers?

Question by Obama – Wimp in the White House: Does the senate version of Obama care give breaks to Pot smokers?
Under the Senate Finance Committee version of the health-care bill, health insurance companies would be allowed to charge tobacco users premiums up to 50 percent higher than those of non-users, while marijuana and crack cocaine smokers could not be penalized with higher premiums.

According to provisions spelled out in the Senate Finance Committee’s summary of the bill–the so-called “chairman’s mark”–insurance issuers selling policies to individuals could only vary premiums based on three characteristics: tobacco use, age and family composition.

Specifically, it says premiums could vary “by no more than the ratio specified” for each characteristic:

— Tobacco use: 1.5 to 1
— Age: 4 to 1
— Family composition:
1) Single: 1 to 1
2) Adult with child: 1.8 to 1
3) Two adults: 2 to 1
4) Family: 3 to 1

This means, for example, that for every 0 in premium that a non-tobacco user pays, a tobacco user could be charged 0. A family could be charged three times as much as a single person, and an older person could be charged four times as much as a younger person.

Premiums could also vary among, but not within, geographical rating areas to be defined by the states.
The bill doesn’t specify premium differentials for any other conditions.

Pot smokers would suffer no penalty–at least in terms of premiums

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/56194

Best answer:

Answer by Vicki
Seems fine to me. How can you have a penalty for something that is considered a prescription drug in some states?

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