Latest Post | Last 10 Posts | Archives
Previous Post: ILRB sends FOP’s ULP vax claim to judge
Next Post: The best new thing on the Interwebtubes
Posted in:
* Yeah, um, there’s this thing called Obamacare which protects the rights of those with preexisting conditions and those whose health status has changed, regardless of whether those things resulted from self-centered stupidity or partisan derangement syndrome…
Bill to be introduced in IL today by @repjcarroll - those who choose not to be vaccinated pay their own expenses if they get #COVID19 and incur health expenses
— Mary Ann Ahern (@MaryAnnAhernNBC) December 6, 2021
The bill is here.
* This has been the obvious case for months…
(E)mployers like Delta Airlines have announced that unvaccinated employees could face a $200 monthly surcharge on their health insurance.
“Employers, through wellness programs, can impose a higher cost on people who are unvaccinated outside of the health plan. Employers can provide incentives and penalties to their employees,” Amin said.
But can insurance companies charge higher premiums for the unvaccinated like they can for a smoking status?
“The Affordable Care Act and other federal laws prohibit insurers from charging more for people who are not vaccinated. But employers through incentive programs may and can increase people’s cost if they are unvaccinated,” Amin said.
* From Healthcare.gov…
All Marketplace plans cover treatment for pre-existing medical conditions and can’t terminate coverage due to a change in health status, including diagnosis or treatment of COVID-19.
The only reason to hope this bill passes and is signed into law is the potential spectacle of pro-covid lawyers like Tom DeVore defending their clients by citing Obamacare’s protections. 🙃
…Adding… Hannah Meisel…
Employers are taking advantage of the wellness program option in order to incentivize vaccine uptake among their workforces. Companies including Delta Airlines have announced plans to begin charging unvaccinated employees more in health insurance premiums. Delta announced the change in August and began implementing it last month.
Private companies aren’t the only ones trying out the strategy; Nevada could become the first state to add a surcharge to unvaccinated state employees’ premiums after a board that oversees state worker benefits voted last week to charge $55 monthly to unvaccinated workers. The money is meant to offset the cost of COVID testing for those who haven’t gotten their shots.
Wisconsin-based Mercyhealth, which operates three hospitals in northern Illinois, has taken a slightly different tact. Instead of higher insurance premiums, Mercyhealth introduced a $60 monthly “risk pool fee” for unvaccinated employees, which began getting dedicated from their wages in October.
After the new policy’s announcement in September, Mercyhealth told NPR last month that its employee vaccination rate rose from about 70% to 91%, with very few workers quitting in protest.
In other words, there are ways around this without advocating violating federal law with headline bills.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Dec 6, 21 @ 9:50 am
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
Previous Post: ILRB sends FOP’s ULP vax claim to judge
Next Post: The best new thing on the Interwebtubes
WordPress Mobile Edition available at alexking.org.
powered by WordPress.
==The only reason to hope this bill passes and is signed into law is the potential spectacle of pro-covid lawyers like Tom DeVore defending their clients by citing Obamacare’s protections. 🙃==
The irony of this would be totally lost on most of the folks using it.
Comment by Bruce( no not him) Monday, Dec 6, 21 @ 9:54 am
One of the more idiotic abuses of the legislative process I’ve seen in a long time. We gonna go down this road on anything that comes along regarding anyone’s personal perspective on something? I’m pro-vaccine. I’m anti- jerky legislators wasting time and effort in their “look at me” attempts. Withdraw this stupidity as a gift to the people of Illinois. That goes for both sides, not just his.
Comment by A Guy Monday, Dec 6, 21 @ 10:06 am
Why politicians have earned the reputation they have with voters.
Comment by Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter Monday, Dec 6, 21 @ 10:15 am
I have to certify that I am a non-smoker each year or I have a large penalty on my health insurance.
Comment by Publius Monday, Dec 6, 21 @ 10:19 am
Pre-existing conditions is a different issue. It is about whether or not a person has a condition when they enter into the insurance contract. More relevant here is whether this would be considered an “essential health benefit” under ACA. Emergency services are an essential service, so somebody who refuses to get vaccinated and gets sick enough to land in the ER would seem to be covered. But, importantly, ACA applies only to plans that are sold on the health insurance marketplaces. Many large insurers are exempt from these requirements. Still, it seems like state law would not be able to pre-empt ACA when it comes to plans that are subject to it.
Comment by 61820 Monday, Dec 6, 21 @ 10:25 am
=spectacle of pro-covid lawyers like Tom DeVore defending their clients by citing Obamacare’s protections. 🙃=
I would for the pleasure to sit in court and hear those arguments.
=One of the more idiotic abuses of the legislative process I’ve seen in a long time. =
You need to see some of Demmer and the EAstern Bloc bills then. They are the gold standard,this one, dumb as it is, does not get into team photo.
Comment by JS Mill Monday, Dec 6, 21 @ 10:28 am
Politics (and apparently a pandemic) make strange bedfellows.
Comment by levivotedforjudy Monday, Dec 6, 21 @ 10:29 am
There are 6000+ bills filed by legislators each session, most which never get out of committee. All are potential campaign fodder.
Reporters could show more discernment on what might actually be newsworthy. (Or has that ship sailed?)
Comment by walker Monday, Dec 6, 21 @ 10:36 am
I generally like Carroll but this is a bad miss. Since being in the legislature, most of his work has been informed by empathy and personal experience. The isolation ban, sesame allergy bill, and the ways he’s spoken up against anti-semitism all point to someone who wants to alleviate suffering. This kind of casual cruelty seems out of character.
Comment by vern Monday, Dec 6, 21 @ 10:37 am
What 61820 said. Obamacare may protect people with partisan derangement syndrome, but not under the pre-existing condition provision (unless they switch carriers after contracting COVID)
Comment by Socially DIstant watcher Monday, Dec 6, 21 @ 10:46 am
== The irony of this would be totally lost on most of the folks using it. ==
But the irony would be sweet for the rest of us.
Comment by Lt Guv Monday, Dec 6, 21 @ 10:54 am
If I’m not mistaken, I think the way employers get around the ACA restrictions is to raise premiums on everyone, but then immediately give a discount to those who are vaccinated. That way they’re rewarding healthy behavior rather than punishing unhealthy practices.
Comment by TNR Monday, Dec 6, 21 @ 11:08 am
=== The irony of this would be totally lost on most of the folks using it.===
Rich has “Its Just a Bill” at least one a week during session, it’s only idiotic by the standards of not understanding process or thoughts to why in a long run it would ironically embarrassing for the DeVore crew defending Obamacare protections.
===… resulted from self-centered stupidity or partisan derangement syndrome…===
Does it get more tasty than that in these times? Probably not.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Dec 6, 21 @ 11:10 am
If Momma has to certify she ain’t fat we gots a problem.
Comment by Momma Monday, Dec 6, 21 @ 11:59 am
It’s not legal but I bet this proposal polls better in the 75%+ of adults vaccinated districts than people think.
I’ve heard variations of it often enough in Chicago since the summer surge of the latgely unvaccinated began.
Comment by ChicagoBars Monday, Dec 6, 21 @ 12:27 pm
Will there be legislation for those people that received both the vaccine and the booster shot then got COVID?
Comment by Just curious Monday, Dec 6, 21 @ 2:01 pm
Something also to consider, many of the companies enacting the surcharges probably self-insure their employees. While an insurance company manages the policies/claims, the employer is the one actually paying the claims. If the employee pool doesn’t file as many claims, the unused funds are kept by the company. Too many claims and the company is paying out more that expected. By adding the surcharge, it helps offset the possibility of the companies losing money due to increase COVID related claims. Overall, the insurance companies aren’t getting the funds, the employers are.
Comment by FormerChicago Monday, Dec 6, 21 @ 3:57 pm
==Nevada could become the first state to add a surcharge to unvaccinated state employees’ premiums after a board that oversees state worker benefits voted last week to charge $55 monthly to unvaccinated workers. ==
Illinois needs to follow Nevada’s lead.
Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Monday, Dec 6, 21 @ 7:57 pm
With legislation like this, he would now be ineligible for any lower GI insurance coverage.
Comment by A Guy Tuesday, Dec 7, 21 @ 11:18 am