Difficult business decisions for insurance industry & Covid
An Illinois state legislator proposed a bill in which neither the state nor health insurance providers would have to pay for COVID-19-related medical care for those who choose to remain unvaccinated against COVID-19 and become infected.
Such a bill clearly is government overreach. The legislator, Rep. Jonathan Carroll, subsequently withdrew the bill due to threats made against him, his family and his staff. Yet this proposal opens for discussion the risk calculus that goes into providing health care and how health insurance premiums are set.
Insurance is pooled risk. Whether it is automobile insurance, life insurance or health insurance, there is a cost to provide coverage, with claims paid out of premiums charged. That is why young drivers pay higher automobile insurance premiums than older drivers, and smokers pay higher life insurance premiums than nonsmokers. The historical record of claim payouts supports such differential premiums.