Lawmaker Seeks Insurance Coverage for Anti-Smoking Products
7/17/2010
Public officials have become increasingly active in their efforts to convince more people to quit smoking, and one California lawmaker has introduced a bill that may be of interest to health insurance policyholders everywhere.
State Senator LeLand Yee of San Francisco has introduced a bill in the assembly that would require health insurance policies to cover nicotine gum, counseling, prescription medication and other products and services that help people quit smoking.
Yee estimates that his legislation would help 8,000 California residents quit smoking each year, while saving the state some $45 million in healthcare costs related to smoking. About 20 percent of the population is said to consist of smokers.
"The societal costs of tobacco-related death and disease approach $96 billion annually in medical expenses and $97 billion in lost productivity nationwide," said Yee. "More than 70 percent of all current smokers, however, have expressed a desire to stop smoking."
Yee also noted that tobacco use is linked to about 435,000 deaths each year, about 40,000 of whom are from California. By quitting smoking, people can also save considerably on their life and health insurance premiums.
Recent News
-
8/30/2010
A recent government report should serve as a reminder to auto insurance...
-
8/29/2010
Long term care insurance may not be the only part of a successful retirement...
-
8/28/2010
Some Americans may suffer the misfortune of learning firsthand that even if...
-
8/27/2010
New research is driving home the importance of adopting healthy eating habits...
-
8/26/2010
Parents who are busy getting their college-aged children ready for the big move...
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
ShareThis