Covid-19 (not gnr related)

[cineater]

https://www.aol.com/finance/unvaccinated-nevada-state-workers-pay-013650465-183236346.html

That's interesting, Nevada is going to charge their state workers more for insurance if they are not vaccinated.  This hits on the increased/extra premium issue that started with the one attached to smokers.  You know, where does it stop?  Are you being forced to comply based on the cost of insurance?  Don't think it effects you?  How's your weight looking?     Insurance cost based on your body fat?  It could happen.

[pilferk]

https://www.aol.com/finance/unvaccinated-nevada-state-workers-pay-013650465-183236346.html

That's interesting, Nevada is going to charge their state workers more for insurance if they are not vaccinated.  This hits on the increased/extra premium issue that started with the one attached to smokers.  You know, where does it stop?  Are you being forced to comply based on the cost of insurance?  Don't think it effects you?  How's your weight looking?     Insurance cost based on your body fat?  It could happen.

See, this is exactly the way I think it should be handled.

As you say, just like the extra premium for smokers.  If you choose not to be vaccinated, you are a higher risk population, and are more likely to incur significant medical costs vs the unvaccinated.  So you should pay a higher premium.  It is not fair to amortize your potential higher costs of care to the vaccinated (or to non-smokers).  To me, this is a personal responsibility issue. It encourages you to do the right thing, but still makes it your choice.  It just re-enforces that that choice also comes with responsibility. 

Personally, I think it should go a step further: If you're not vaccinated, insurance doesn't cover your medical costs for any COVID related illness.  You're on your own.  You get sick, you're stuck with the bill.  The problem is that this also punishes those institutions GIVING the care, because they won't get reimbursed for it....and that would be problematic.

Weight is a bit different.  There are MANY reasons people are overweight (thyroid conditions come to mind), and a choice to imbibe more food, or food that isn't good for you, or whatever, isn't always the reason why. People don't actively say "I want to be obese". The difference here is, like with smokers, people are making an active choice to do something that has a potentially LARGE impact on their costs of care. People choose to smoke.  People choose not to get vaccinated. 

And, by the by, many organizations offer discounts on insurance for healthy living activities.  Have your annual blood work done to show your numbers? $500 off your annual premium.  Show you engage in physical fitness activities (via fitbit, active gym membership with sign in logs, etc.)? Another $250 off your annual premium. So while they don't base your rates on your weight or lifestyle, they reward what they consider healthy behavior that can limit your costs of care (and increase preventative care, since that's cheaper than emergent care).

[cineater]

I don't know where I fall in that whole issue.  Is it fair to up a woman's insurance rates during her child bearing years or to offer a discount if she has her tubes tied?  Would they even take it that far when considering premiums?  Stuff like that kind of worries me, where are we heading with it? 

I know when it comes to insurance, they made money on me.  Some of us are in that group and some are in the group that have spent more then they put in.  That's the way being in a group works.  Fortunately, I'm in such a big group that the ones using the medical insurance doesn't effect the whole group too much.  I know at my friend's job where there was a smaller group, people worried if they were going to be fired because they were causing the rates for the whole group to go up.

I think people are crazy for not getting the vaccine but if you think it's your right, even though it's costing all of us, in many ways, I'll leave it alone, your business.  Just like I'm not going to get involved in the price of your insurance premiums.   

[pilferk]

I don't know where I fall in that whole issue.  Is it fair to up a woman's insurance rates during her child bearing years or to offer a discount if she has her tubes tied?  Would they even take it that far when considering premiums?  Stuff like that kind of worries me, where are we heading with it? 

I don't think, again, that's a great analogy.  Procreation (and eating) are not the same sorts of choices.  But, in essence, insurance companies do exactly that.  Because they charge you more if you add children (or a spouse) to your insurance plan.  Most organizations have solo, solo + spouse, and family plans. 

I know when it comes to insurance, they made money on me.  Some of us are in that group and some are in the group that have spent more then they put in.  That's the way being in a group works.  Fortunately, I'm in such a big group that the ones using the medical insurance doesn't effect the whole group too much.  I know at my friend's job where there was a smaller group, people worried if they were going to be fired because they were causing the rates for the whole group to go up.

Again,if you are making a personal choice that radically increases premiums for that group, it's hardly fair for that group to bear the brunt of that choice.  If you want to smoke, smoke.  But bear in mind that choice carries additional responsibilities with it.  Nobody is saying you can't do it.  They're saying the choice comes with additional costs.

I think people are crazy for not getting the vaccine but if you think it's your right, even though it's costing all of us, in many ways, I'll leave it alone, your business.  Just like I'm not going to get involved in the price of your insurance premiums.   

Sure.  But risky choices carry consequences and responsibilities.  This is one.  You can choose not to be vaccinated...and then you should be willing to put your money where your mouth is, so to speak.  If you don't have the convictions to do that, then you should rethink that choice.

[cineater]

I worked in the welfare programs.  You have not heard bitching about procreation until you've worked there.   

And we lost a worker to morbid obesity.  People blamed her for her weight and she lived in denial.  It might have been helpful if insurance had put some pressure on her but then again I'm paying the extra premium for smoking.  Don't even really think about it.  I did the whole physical health program to get that incentive but it was something I was already doing.  Didn't change me.  They cut that program way back probably because they found it wasn't worth it.  People weren't really into it and just filling out the computer stuff when they were sent emails.  I have to say, the help is there if you want it.  Nice benefit of insurance and it puts some money back in your pocket.

[cineater]

Speaking of insurance, social security has yet again pimped out my contact information.  This time to Medicare contractors.  My mail is full of fliers and my phone is blowing up with spam calls.

[cineater]

Geez, we've had tornado warnings all night long with a few touch downs.  The biggest report is from the Amazon warehouse, collapsed roof and people trapped.  You know that sends panic through my heart.  Different kind of shipping delay.

[cineater]

Wow, six people died at that Amazon place.  It's one those prefab warehouse type buildings.  Probably like that candle factory had.  I know those are cheaper and go up fast and probably nothing is going to stand up to a direct hit but they should have been looking out for their employees and had better shelters for them.

[cineater]

I think some of the side effects of the pandemic are just beginning to show up.  We could already tell with my 88 year old mother her cognitive skills had decided because she was isolated at home.  Now she is coming up with unexplained bruises and falling.  I'm thinking decline in her physical abilities from not getting out and about.  My granddaughter who is twelve started wearing glasses last year.  She went in for a recheck and they had to double her Rx in just a year.  There's already been concern about the number of children needing glasses because of virtual learning. Wonder what else is going to surface?

[cineater]

My couch has a delivery, to my house, date!  I ordered this in May.  It's been delayed because of the pandemic.  They couldn't get the fabric.  If they hadn't kept sending me updates I would have forgot I ordered it. 

[cineater]

Wow, I didn't know it was getting so bad out there again.  The news was pretty concerning tonight about the rising numbers. 

There was a news reporter walking down the line of people waiting to be tested, not wearing a mask or even having one pulled down around her neck, telling people how bad it was.  Are you listening to yourself?

[cineater]

Woohoo, last package arrived.  No problems with shipping for me.  Greeted the guy with a plate full of homemade cookies.  Love amazon.  I could track his stops from my computer and knew when he would be pulling up.  He appeared as a little santa sleigh on the map.   

Looks like some of the east coast is starting to do covid shut downs.  New York is really panicking.  If the ball drops and nobody sees it.....

[pilferk]

Our very last thing will arrive today.  Everything else is actually already wrapped.

We only really had one significant shipping delay...and it was guitar strings (go figure).  We have had a tough time getting some of the stuff for our holiday baking/making (like....wait for it...Rice Freaking Crispies?? and some specific chocolate melts my wife uses in candy making).

Things are getting a little nutty lately.  Omicrom is definitely bad news, and a little trickier for the vaccines (still good protection from severe disease.....but not nearly as effective at preventing infection/transmission).  All but one of us in the house is fully vaxxed and boosted (my 15 year old isn't eligible).

I was encouraged by the Moderna news today, and the Pfizer analytics I've seen are decent, too.  But I think we're about to get overrun with infections.....and I'm a little worried about hospital capacity.  Even though Omicrom looks less severe, with lower hospitalization rates overall (and especially with vaxxed and boosted), the issue is how virulent and transmissable it is.  Even with lower percentages of hospitalized, the sheer number of infections is problematic, like 10% of 100 is 10...but 10% of 1000 is 100 in an exponential way.  The next couple of weeks are going to be very informative on the COVID front.

The semi-good news is that, if Omicrom is the direction of the disease mutations (more virulent, less severe), it could push COVID to be endemic (sort of like the flu is).  Something we can vaccinate against and move on, because the severity is managable by almost all the population, and we have capacity to handle those that can't manage and vaccines (like the annual flu shot) and treatments (like the Pfizer anti-viral).  We'll see.

[cineater]

My daughter's hospital is a mess.  For a multitude of reasons they are short staffed and the traveling nurses have gone home for the holidays.  And they are fucking tired from working covid.  Everybody is just waiting for their phone to ring telling them to cancelled their life and come in.

Fuck, $70 an hour plus a 500 spot bonus.  And she has no kids, looks like my daughter is working Christmas.

[tim_m]

Sorry to hear that. My sister just got covid. So our christmas plans are ruined. She can't come and risk exposing all of us to it.

[cineater]

Sorry to hear that. My sister just got covid. So our christmas plans are ruined. She can't come and risk exposing all of us to it.

She's still waiting to hear if she has to come in.  See how many people they can get discharged by tomorrow.

I hope that's a mild case of covid.  Few people realize this but your sibling relationship is your longest lasting relationship in your life.  You start out with them and hopefully end about around the same time.  I don't blame you for being bummed.

[pilferk]

Sorry to hear that. My sister just got covid. So our christmas plans are ruined. She can't come and risk exposing all of us to it.

How's she feeling?

Honestly, from what we're seeing, hopefully it's omicron.  It is infectious as all hell, but from what we're seeing, it's presenting more like a common cold (in terms of symptoms and severity). We'll see if that continues and get's borne out by more data as it comes in.

As shitty as this is, omicron might actually speed us toward endemic status, because those not vaccinated are going to get sick, and fast, with a less severe version of the disease.  Hospitals still might get overrun (as I mentioned above).....that's a concern...but the vast majority of those who get sick are going to be able to deal with symptoms at home, and it's a relatively quick hitter from what we've seen (about 7 to 10 days) with fewer "long covid" cases. 

I REALLY hope that turns out to be the case, and not just what we are seeing anecdotally.

[cineater]

If you get omicron does that mean you probably won't get one of the worse ones?

Well fuck, the kid is now on standby for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

[tim_m]

Sorry to hear that. My sister just got covid. So our christmas plans are ruined. She can't come and risk exposing all of us to it.

She's still waiting to hear if she has to come in.  See how many people they can get discharged by tomorrow.

I hope that's a mild case of covid.  Few people realize this but your sibling relationship is your longest lasting relationship in your life.  You start out with them and hopefully end about around the same time.  I don't blame you for being bummed.

Hers is more severe then her boyfriends. She need to go to the hospital for IV fluids. She's still coughing really bad. I just think how much worse it could've been for her if she wasn't fully vaccinated and had the booster.

[tim_m]

Sorry to hear that. My sister just got covid. So our christmas plans are ruined. She can't come and risk exposing all of us to it.

How's she feeling?

Honestly, from what we're seeing, hopefully it's omicron.  It is infectious as all hell, but from what we're seeing, it's presenting more like a common cold (in terms of symptoms and severity). We'll see if that continues and get's borne out by more data as it comes in.

As shitty as this is, omicron might actually speed us toward endemic status, because those not vaccinated are going to get sick, and fast, with a less severe version of the disease.  Hospitals still might get overrun (as I mentioned above).....that's a concern...but the vast majority of those who get sick are going to be able to deal with symptoms at home, and it's a relatively quick hitter from what we've seen (about 7 to 10 days) with fewer "long covid" cases. 

I REALLY hope that turns out to be the case, and not just what we are seeing anecdotally.

Still feeling really shitty. Coughing real bad and needed iv fluids at the hospital. She can't sleep because of the cough.

I hope that turns out to the be case. The early data from South Africa tends to back this up but it really is too soon to know for sure.