"The study...did not take into account other potential costs of obesity and smoking, such as lost economic productivity"
1) People who die sooner are contributing less toward healthcare costs. Dead people don't:
- pay insurance premiums - pay hospital and/or doctor copayments - fund the government through taxes
Also, people who get sick earlier in life are more likely to miss work, hurting productivity and costing companies more. It would be nice to see a study that considers revenues and costs from each group.
2) Smokers and other unhealthy people currently pay higher premiums for insurance. Does this study mean rates will go up for the healthy?
1) People who die sooner are contributing less toward healthcare costs. Dead people don't:
- pay insurance premiums
- pay hospital and/or doctor copayments
- fund the government through taxes
Also, people who get sick earlier in life are more likely to miss work, hurting productivity and costing companies more.
It would be nice to see a study that considers revenues and costs from each group.
2) Smokers and other unhealthy people currently pay higher premiums for insurance. Does this study mean rates will go up for the healthy?