Jul27
Would You Like Higher Insurance Costs With That Burger?
Posted at 12:48 PM | Permalink
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Comments (17)
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Now, before you Hardee's fans reach for your defibrillators, hear me out. Insurance companies charge you higher rates for other risky behaviors, such as smoking and skydiving, so why not charge you for chowing down on burgers and brats? After all, a Chili's Big Mouth Bites meal (which includes four "mini" bacon cheeseburgers) packs a whopping 2,350 calories! That's more calories than most people should eat in an entire day.
PETA has written to the top two medical insurance providers suggesting that they stick it to raise rates for meat-eaters while simultaneously lowering rates for vegetarians. In our letter, we point out that compared to meat-eaters, vegetarians are less prone to a myriad of ailments—including heart disease. (Heart disease, for those who are taking notes, is America's number-one killer disease.)
But hey, why wait for your insurance company to start charging you extra for those Buffalo wings and Philly cheese steaks? You can start doing your part to slash health care costs today by ordering a free copy of our "Vegetarian Starter Kit."
Posted by Alisa Mullins
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Won't work - unequal taxation. Additionally, it can be argued that vegans are liable for this too due to the fact that animals are killed during the harvesting process (i.e. bugs, mice and smaller animals)
I hope there are many lobbyists who make it where there is NO taxation based on dietary issues.
Posted by: Mel | July 27, 2009 01:19 PM
Being a vegetarian can be just as unhealthy as eating meat, if you aren't eating the right foods. Not all meat-eaters chow down on happy meals and McFries every day. You'd have to regulate fast food and other fried or processed entrees, as opposed to simply MEAT, for this post to make any sense whatsoever.
Posted by: Truth | July 27, 2009 03:45 PM
What do you know, liberals want to raise our taxes again.
Posted by: Kurt K | July 27, 2009 03:52 PM
@Mel -- this article was not on taxes. It was on health care premiums. Please read the article before commenting.
Makes total sense, but how would someone verify they are vegan/vegetarian? Would they need to have routine health checks by the insurance company?
Posted by: George | July 27, 2009 04:31 PM
Unfortunately meat is not the biggest culprit in deteriorating health. It's the sugar, high fat, high starch, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, packaging chemicals, depletion of minerals, over consumption eating that is killing everyone.
Posted by: Nick Benson | July 27, 2009 04:41 PM
There should be higher health care premiums for meat eaters. Meat contributes to deteriorating health. There should also be a "sin" tax on meat, because it leads to the destruction of society. None of these proposals will ever come to pass though, because too many people eat meat and would therefore be against it.
Posted by: Matt | July 27, 2009 06:49 PM
I'm not sure if I agree with this either. I am a meat eater (though I have quite a few vegan/vegetarian friends) and I do not endorse fast food chains. My family usually gets our meat from grass-fed cattle and such. This article never mentions people like myself. I personally think that if such a law were passed, it should be based upon how many times (on average) the individual eats at a fast food chain on a weekly basis.
Posted by: Tyler | July 27, 2009 07:31 PM
In this economic climate, the last thing we need are rules like these. If the economy was better, this would be a more realistic idea.
Posted by: Edwardio | July 27, 2009 08:20 PM
Mel,
Vegans don't actually eat the animals that are killed during the harvesting process, and are therefore not going to suffer any related detrimental health effects. Am I misinterpreting what you wrote?
Also, since animals raised for food in the U.S. consume 90% of the soy crop, 80% of the corn crop, and a total of 70% of its grain, the eating of meat contributes far more to the collateral killing of field animals by harvesting machines than a vegetarian or vegan diet would.
Nick,
You've got some real winners on your list, but there is nothing at all wrong with unprocessed starch foods.
Unrefined whole-grain starches such as brown rice, millet, quinoa, oat groats, barley, etc. (as well as potatoes, sweet potatoes, beans and peas) are some of the most healthful foods out there.
Generally, the nations that eat the most starch are also the longest lived.
Posted by: Mike Quinoa | July 27, 2009 08:33 PM
It would be awesome... obviously it won't ever happen though... but it's beautiful. What a Utopia.
Posted by: Kirsty | July 27, 2009 11:30 PM
Stupidest IDEA EVER...
Posted by: Sarah | July 28, 2009 01:58 AM
@ George - I understand that it's not about taxes; however, it is unfair "taxation" (higher rates) with really no fair representation given that there are overweight vegans and skinny omnivores.
Too many factors come into play that raising the rates for one and lowering the other simply because of diet would be unfair.
Posted by: mel | July 28, 2009 10:17 AM
Eating meat isn't a recognized health risk, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle is. Neither of which is synonymous eating meat. you have vegetarian that overeat as well.
Posted by: Tom | July 28, 2009 12:32 PM
"eating meat isn't a recognized health risk?" can you say saturated fat? seriously, what year is this?
how bout we just throw on a heavy meat tax like they did with cigarettes. that would be awesome. why not.
Posted by: Tamra | July 28, 2009 02:16 PM
Just some ideas.
There used to be no drug in the United States that was illegal (they even put cocaine in Coca-Cola). I say legalize it all, and heavily tax it.
Put either a luxury or a sin tax on meat, chicken, and seafood, and dairy; use the collected taxes to lower the prices on foods such as vegetables, vegetable products such as meatless sauces and condiments.
Have insurance companies give a reduced rate every time your doctor sends in a normal result on a patient's cholesterol test. If the patient is on company insurance this may result in less money being taken out of their paycheck.
All of these allow people their individual choice and the right to do what they want...they will just have to pay more for it.
Posted by: Rev. Meg Schramm | July 28, 2009 04:58 PM
The issue is that they do make veggies higher priced unless they're in season. One way to help the issue is to give incentives to those who do raise some of the harder to raise products (out of season), and lower the costs on fruits and veggies. If they lower the prices of fruits and veggies some, that will help entice people to buy them.
Simply put, I don't think a tax on just meat and dairy or lowering rates for vegetarians will work in reducing obesity.Those who are sedentary will still be such (and I've seen many seniors with good BP and cholesterol who had to stay fairly sedentary), unless there's an incentive as far as overall health. And, you can have a good cholesterol level and still be obese. Additionally, some people's cholesterol is naturally higher, and if you put a thresh hold on what the range is, they could be past it and yet actually be healthy and trim.
That said - overall health can be very good no matter what diet you choose, therefore, putting a tax on what some consider a "sin" would be seen as discriminatory.
Posted by: Mel | July 29, 2009 10:11 AM
I am a vegetarian, and am not trying to defend the eating of meat, but there are some problems I see with this idea.
1) Eating meat is NOT a health risk in and of itself. It's the excess of meat that is a risk. Eggs are widely acknowledged as healthy, even one of the best sources of protein, despite their high levels of cholesterol. They are actually good for one if eaten in moderation.
2) This proposal is completely implausible. There is a nearly zero chance of it ever passing.
Posted by: Cory | August 5, 2009 08:10 PM