Canadian COVID-19 News

[Midnight Son]

Originally Posted by LesCheneaux

I haven't seen much from the candidates on US-Canada border policy going forward. Have I missed it?

I haven't heard boo, about the border.
Besides, that is 'The Great Excited States' decision to make.
Best wishes all.

[Greg K]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Completely agree, which is why it is inevitable that private health insurance companies will either raise rates, or reduce coverage, for those who choose to put themselves at unnecessary risk around Covid-19.

With a publicly funded health insurance system as in Canada, it is more difficult to single out these folks, even though we know they are costing all of us a lot of wasted money through their negligent behaviour. But with private insurance companies, their ultimate responsibility is to maximize profit for their owners. So it would be shocking if they don't react appropriately to this clear elevated risk unvaccinated people are choosing to take.

So, if private insurance companies DO NOT raise premiums or reduce coverage what will your take away from that business decision be regarding that " clear elevated risk unvaccinated people are choosing to take", (including, presumably, all those folks who have recovered from covid and have ample natural immunity) ?

Conversely, since no-one can say with any certainty what may be the possible long term effects of these vaccines, ( no long term studies to date yet done) will you maintain your stance re insurance in the tragic event that these vaccines do turn out to cause serious illness? Will your rabid justification for discriminating this time against the vaccinated who have become severely ill from the long term side effects still hold? Or will you whine about unfairness?

After all, as you are so fond of repeating ad nauseam, " choices have consequences" right?

[Mike OReilly]

Once again Greg, you are just here to spread misinformation, and have nothing useful to contribute to a conversation about Canadian Covid news. There are other threads where you can spout your views, or you can start your own. No one here cares what you think.

But a simple search actually shows that private insurance companies ARE doing exactly as I said they would:

Delta Air Lines is raising health insurance premiums for unvaccinated employees by $200 a month to cover higher Covid costs

Unvaccinated workers could end up paying $50 more for health insurance — per paycheck

Insurance companies are now asking COVID-19 patients to share in the cost of their treatment

Major insurance companies to start charging co-pays and deductibles to those diagnosed with COVID-19

etc...

So, as the big man that we know you are , you'll now admit you are wrong. But no... I expect you'll just continue to "whine about unfairness."

[hpeer]

Mike,

While we are at it how about raising rates according to level of obesity.

Same argument.

All about personal responsibility.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Mike,

While we are at it how about raising rates according to level of obesity.

Same argument.

All about personal responsibility.

Yes... don't they do that already ? Isn't private insurance supposed to be based on the risk the company is covering? It's why insurance companies, long ago, started charging smokers higher premiums.


From the insurance company's perspective, it's all about risk. If they don't price the risk properly, they cut into their bottom line. Private companies don't do that.

[Greg K]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Once again Greg, you are just here to spread misinformation, and have nothing useful to contribute to a conversation about Canadian Covid news. There are other threads where you can spout your views, or you can start your own. No one here cares what you think....

So, as the big man that we know you are , you'll now admit you are wrong. But no... I expect you'll just continue to "whine about unfairness."

Just curious, when did you appoint yourself the spokesperson for this thread and all its participants?

And when did expressing one's opinion become "spouting disinformation?" Are opinions that may be contrary to yours now no longer allowed here?
Can you not see the slippery slope you're on with such views?

Seriously ,you need to chill, Mike.

As for admitting to be being wrong, I am not quite sure what exactly I am accused of being wrong about. I said " if private insurance companies DO NOT raise premiums or reduce coverage..... That, if I remember my grammar correctly is what we call a subordinate clause. It is the first part of a conditional sentence. I made no claim in my statement, only proposed a possibility. As a former "communications professional", do you not see that?

[hpeer]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Yes... don't they do that already ? Isn't private insurance supposed to be based on the risk the company is covering? It's why insurance companies, long ago, started charging smokers higher premiums.


From the insurance company's perspective, it's all about risk. If they don't price the risk properly, they cut into their bottom line. Private companies don't do that.

Mike,

As far as I know they do not do that. At least none of the insurance coverage I had in the states did. There MAY have been some incentive if you did not smoke but I dont think I ran into that. I had 7 different jobs through my career, 7 different insurance companies.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Greg K

Just curious, when did you appoint yourself the spokesperson for this thread and all its participants?

And when did expressing one's opinion become "spouting disinformation?" Are opinions that may be contrary to yours now no longer allowed here?
Can you not see the slippery slope you're on with such views?

Seriously ,you need to chill, Mike.

As for admitting to be being wrong, I am not quite sure what exactly I am accused of being wrong about. I said " if private insurance companies DO NOT raise premiums or reduce coverage..... That, if I remember my grammar correctly is what we call a subordinate clause. It is the first part of a conditional sentence. I made no claim in my statement, only proposed a possibility. As a former "communications professional", do you not see that?

Greg, you can play whatever games you like. It's clear from your posts here, and elsewhere, that you are simply spreading misinformation. As others have noted on this thread, THIS is probably the most insidious and dangerous aspect of the whole pandemic.



So IF insurance companies DO raise rates, as they are, what is your take away?

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by Greg K

Just curious, when did you appoint yourself the spokesperson for this thread and all its participants?

Well he does have the "Canadian" thing down pretty pat which you've shown no evidence of.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Mike,

As far as I know they do not do that. At least none of the insurance coverage I had in the states did. There MAY have been some incentive if you did not smoke but I dont think I ran into that. I had 7 different jobs through my career, 7 different insurance companies.

So, your health insurance companies don't take into account your current health status? I know any travel insurance I've bought certainly goes through my health history. The answers certainly affect my premium.

I don't recall if there are questions about weight. If not, then I would conclude it's not a significant risk factor. Unless these companies are legally precluded from factoring in this point, this would make them poor businesses.

[Greg K]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Greg, you can play whatever games you like. It's clear from your posts here, and elsewhere, that you are simply spreading misinformation. As others have noted on this thread, THIS is probably the most insidious and dangerous aspect of the whole pandemic.



So IF insurance companies DO raise rates, as they are, what is your take away?

Mike, in case you have forgotten, in a civilized world if you do not agree with another's opinion or perspective in the public sphere, you can always challenge it as, indeed, I have regularly done here and elsewhere. That is how a civilized society deals with such issues. A pandemic does not justify changing that. There will always be another pandemic or war or a disaster on which people have different perspectives. If we silence the opinion of others we disagree with and ban their participation in public discourse, we will no longer be a civilized, open society, perhaps ever again. You and others who want to silence contrarian voices on the basis that such speech is a dangerous influence need to look at the bigger picture. You really are on a slippery slope here whether you know it or not.

As for your question, I do not think it is possible to have any takeaway from the brief information in the links you provided except, perhaps, that insurers like many other companies are now virtue signaling that they are doing their part to coerce those unwilling to be vaccinated. In general, I think we can all agree, that insurance companies are scum and will discriminate against unprofitable customers whenever the law allows it.

[Greg K]

Originally Posted by Macblaze

Well he does have the "Canadian" thing down pretty pat which you've shown no evidence of.

I'm not quite sure what you're getting at with your comment Macblaze but, trust me, don't go there. You will embarrass yourself tremendously and regret it. That's just some friendly advice.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Greg K

I'm not quite sure what you're getting at with your comment Macblaze but, trust me, don't go there. You will embarrass yourself tremendously and regret it. That's just some friendly advice.

Well, Greg, you've certainly shown him how to do so.
]
Look, I think Mike's right. The vaccine works. People who don't take it are deliberately hurting the rest of their own communities; their own friends and neighbors.


There were "demonstrations" today by anti vaxxers AT F-ING HOSPITALS today. How low can you go. People are dying because hospital beds are filled with unvaccinated idiots. Idaho is sending Covidiots to Washington state because their hospitals are overwhelmed with the unvaxxed.


And these jerks are picketing in front of hospitals?!? WTF?!? They are actually threatening health care workers.


How dare they?



Where would THEY go if they got sick? In a car accident? From an accident? Or even from covid?


Denial in this case is not only threatening their lives, it's threatening mine. That's why it is so absurd.

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by Greg K

I'm not quite sure what you're getting at with your comment Macblaze but, trust me, don't go there. You will embarrass yourself tremendously and regret it. That's just some friendly advice.

Embarrassing myself is what I do best...

See what I did there... self-effacement... no need to get all puffy and threatening-like when you can just...what did that guy say... "chill out."

Anyway this little interlude has gone on long enough; back to grown-up talk: all surgeries cancelled in Edmonton today.

Anyone in BC know how the vaccine passport thing is going to work for us "foreigners" (especially us from AB where we eschew such draconian measures )? I have a potential window to head out and get a week's sailing in in October but I am still not sure its something I should count on. But it's be nice to see the new windlass and dinghy I bought but never actually laid eyes on...

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Greg K

Mike, in case you have forgotten, in a civilized world if you do not agree with another's opinion or perspective in the public sphere, you can always challenge it as, indeed, I have regularly done here and elsewhere.

You can obviously voice whatever opinion you want. But when it is verifiably false, or based on fallacious and unfounded speculation, then you should expect a strong challenge to come back at you. This too is part of the civilized conversation.

Originally Posted by Greg K

As for your question, I do not think it is possible to have any takeaway from the brief information in the links you provided except, perhaps, that insurers like many other companies are now virtue signaling that they are doing their part to coerce those unwilling to be vaccinated. In general, I think we can all agree, that insurance companies are scum and will discriminate against unprofitable customers whenever the law allows it.

What a surprise... when faced with facts counter to your narrative, you attack the data and impugn the character of the people behind it. Seems to be a standard approach for all the 'anti' folks these days.

For the record, I don't think insurance companies are "scum." I think they operate as all businesses do; they seek to maximize profit (in part) by minimizing expenses. As many have said, they are not evil, they are simply psychopathic