[TheForge] Marginal Blacksmithing Question

[Andrew Vida]

Phil wrote:
> --- Ries Niemi <rniemi at fidalgo.net> wrote:
> 
>>Health insurance costs can vary wildly by location,
>>age, and 
>>pre-existing conditions.
> 
> 
> <snip>
> 
> What is the impact of pre-existing conditions on the
> cost of insurance?

	Depends on the condition.  There are three things I can immediately 
think of that can happen:

	1: premiums increase.
	2: the conditions in question will not be covered
	3: the company refuses to insure you.

If, fro example, you have a torn rotator cuff and the ins co knows about 
it, they will probably refuse to cover treatment for that injury.

If you have terminal lung cancer, in all probability they will simply 
refuse to write a policy for you

They are scumbags of the first order.  Some people poo-poo this opinion, 
but be aware that insurance is by a wide margin the most profitable 
legitimate business on the planet.  Even defense contractors don't make 
the money that insurance companies do.  They are very efficient at 
taking your money and not so great at giving you anything back.  On top 
of that, the legislative mandate for all citizens to have auto 
insurance, for example, sets up a pork barrel situation for the 
insurance companies such that they can charge essentially anything they 
please and one must pay it, within some broadly delineated tolerances. 
Nobody should be forced to keep insurance, but that's another issue 
entirely.