Medicare Blog

what states require you to answer the tobacco medicare question

by Prof. Justus Hamill DVM Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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Where can I find the tobacco questionnaires for 2012?

These summaries were discontinued in 2012. The questionnaires for ALL data years with tobacco questions can be accessed via the Guide for Data Users. Questionnaires containing tobacco questions for 1997 forward also can be accessed from the list below.

Does Medicare Part B cover smoking counseling?

Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers up to 8 visits of smoking and tobacco-use cessation counseling visits in a 12-month period smoking if you use tobacco. You pay nothing for the counseling sessions if your doctor or other qualified health care provider accepts Assignment.

Do health insurers consider you to be a smoker?

Health insurers consider you a smoker, subject to a hefty premium surcharge if you used any tobacco products four or more times a week in the past six months. Some regular smokers facing a steep premium increase may be tempted to avoid telling the truth. Don’t do it. If you’re not honest about tobacco, you risk being charged with insurance fraud.

What are the names of the NHIS questionnaires containing tobacco use questions?

Names of the NHIS Questionnaires Containing Adult Tobacco Use Questions, by Year FY 1965 Smoking Habits Page 1974 Hypertension Page (in core questionnaire ... 1976 Health Habits Supplement (in core questi ... 1977 NHIS Health Habits (H1) Supplement (in c ... 1978 – 1980 Smoking Supplements 33 more rows ...

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What happens if you lie about tobacco use on health insurance?

If you're not honest about tobacco, you risk being charged with insurance fraud. Even such “soft fraud” is considered a misdemeanor and can result in sentences of probation, community service — or even time in jail.

Can I lie about tobacco use for life insurance?

You could be denied a life insurance policy if you lie on the application about your smoking habits. Many insurers require a life insurance medical exam that includes blood samples and urine tests that screen for nicotine use. You could also be denied if you have medical conditions in addition to smoking.

Does Medicare penalize smokers?

Summary: If you are a smoker, you might worry that your Medicare premiums will be higher because of your tobacco use. While that may be true with some health insurance, in general your Medicare premiums won't be higher if you smoke.

Does vaping count as tobacco use for insurance?

However, since there isn't much research on vaping and its long-term health effects, most major life insurance companies consider vape users riskier to insure than non-users. Insurers generally treat vaping the same as smoking when determining how much you'll pay for a policy.

How does life insurance company know if you smoke?

Q: Do life insurance companies randomly test for tobacco use? A: No. But it's likely they will test your blood, urine, or saliva (via a mouth swab) before approving your application. And those tests will detect nicotine in your system if you've smoked or used other tobacco products recently.

How do insurers know if you smoke?

Insurers will assume that your application is truthful, but if they later suspect anything is amiss, they could ask for a urine or saliva test to find out whether or not you are a smoker. They might even contact your GP for information on your medical history, which will reveal whether you have smoked in your lifetime.

How many cigarettes does it take to be considered a smoker?

Every day smoker: An adult who has smoked at least 100 cigarettes in his or her lifetime, and who now smokes every day. Previously called a “regular smoker”. Former smoker: An adult who has smoked at least 100 cigarettes in his or her lifetime but who had quit smoking at the time of interview.

Is nicotine gum considered a tobacco product for health insurance?

Nicotine replacement products like gum and patches are not considered tobacco products for purposes of the Tobacco Premium Program.

Can doctors tell if you smoke from a blood test?

Yes, your doctor can tell if you smoke occasionally by looking at medical tests that can detect nicotine in your blood, saliva, urine and hair. When you smoke or get exposed to secondhand smoke, the nicotine you inhale gets absorbed into your blood.

What qualifies as a tobacco user?

A tobacco user is someone who has used tobacco more than five times in the previous three months. Vaping and e-cigarettes are also considered nicotine products and tobacco use.

Do I have to tell my life insurance if I start smoking?

No. Your cover is based on your smoker status when you applied. As long as the information was accurate at the time, your premiums are guaranteed, regardless of any changes to your personal health.

Why do insurance companies ask if you smoke?

Life insurance companies ask you about smoking on applications. They want to get a complete picture of your life and health. That includes whether you smoke, chew tobacco or use nicotine products. Life insurers usually don't differentiate between the type of nicotine.

Do I have to tell my life insurance if I start smoking?

No. Your cover is based on your smoker status when you applied. As long as the information was accurate at the time, your premiums are guaranteed, regardless of any changes to your personal health.

How long do you need to be a non smoker for life insurance?

12 monthsFor a life insurance company to charge a non-smoker rates, the period since last smoking needs to be least 12 months. 'Non-smoking' in life insurance company terms means no use of any tobacco or nicotine products for 12 months, which even includes E-cigarettes, patches or gums.

How long do you have to be smoke free life insurance?

Typically applicants must have refrained from smoking cigarettes for at least 12 months before applying for life insurance to qualify for nonsmoker rates at most companies. To get the best rates, you'll need to have been smoke-free for about five years.

Do people lie about smoking?

46% lied about their smoking habits. 43% lied about their exercise habits. 38% lied about their drinking habits.

What is access to cessation treatment?

A: The Access to Cessation Treatments grade measures how well a state provides access to tobacco cessation treatments under state-sponsored health insurance programs, including the state Medicaid program, the seven Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved cessation medications and three forms of counseling that have been proven to help tobacco users quit. States often don't cover all tobacco cessation treatments or they put barriers in place to make it more difficult to access treatments, such as burdensome co-payments or prior authorization requirements. Patients enrolled in state Medicaid programs smoke at a rate over 50 percent higher than individuals with private insurance, so easy access to proven treatments is vital for them. The grade also looks at how well state quitlines, state-run services that can help tobacco users quit by phone, are funded. More funding means more tobacco users that can be helped.

How many lives are lost to tobacco each year?

A: Plain and simple, it means to reduce and eventually eliminate tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke. More than 480,000 lives are lost in the U.S. to tobacco each year, we want to make that as close to zero as possible.

Why is tobacco control important?

In addition, not only does the money provide for programs and services which in turn help prevent kids from starting and help people quit tobacco use, it also sustains and increases reductions in smoking from other policy initiatives like tobacco taxes. There are even numbers to back it up with California's Tobacco Control Program, the longest running program since 1989 in the U.S. A 2013 study found that California saw a greater than 55 to 1 return on investment with healthcare costs reduced by an astonishing $184 billion from 1989–2008 1 and lung cancer incidences are declining faster than the rest of the nation. 2

Is raising tobacco taxes a triple win?

A: Raising tobacco taxes can be called a triple win in terms of what it can accomplish. Not only does raising tobacco taxes significantly increase the likelihood of adults quitting, but it actually has an even greater impact on kids starting to use tobacco. With these extra funds, policymakers should dedicate a healthy portion to tobacco prevention and cessation programs to prevent more kids from starting and help even more people quit. However, nearly all states have work to do.

When was tobacco modified?

Any modification (including one with a change in design, any component, any part, or any constituent, including a smoke constituent, or in the content, delivery or form of nicotine, or any other additive or ingredient) of a tobacco product where the modified product was commercially marketed in the United States after February 15, 2007.

Who is a tobacco manufacturer?

A tobacco manufacturer is anyone who manufactures, fabricates, assembles, processes, or labels a tobacco product. This includes repackers, relabelers, and those who import a finished tobacco product for sale or distribution in the United States. ( Section 900 (20) ).

How many states have a smoker surcharge?

Three other states allow a surcharge of less than 50% : In the other 40 states, smokers can be charged 50% more for monthly premiums compared to non-smokers.

What is the practice of demanding a surcharge for tobacco use?

Your tobacco use. The practice of demanding a surcharge for tobacco use is known as tobacco rating. Insurance companies and some experts justify the large surcharge acts as an incentive to convince smokers to quit.

How many people smoke in 2016?

Despite the deadly dangers of smoking — with lung cancer now the No. 1 cancer threat to men and women — 34 million Americans still smoke regularly (14% ) and another 6 million use vaping nicotine inhalers. The Federal Drug Administration labeled inhalers as “tobacco products” in 2016, and, therefore, so do most health insurers.

What states have surcharges?

Three other states allow a surcharge of less than 50% : 1 Arkansas – 20% 2 Colorado – 15% 3 Kentucky – 40%

How many people over 18 use nicotine?

As noted, roughly 6 million people over 18 are using electronic nicotine-inhaling devices, such as Juuls, e-cigarettes, and vapes. These products don’t use tobacco; however, they contain other harmful substances, including addictive nicotine. Authorities note that more than 2,000 people from age 13 and up got sick from vaping last year and over 50 died.

Do health insurance companies charge smokers more?

Costs for Smokers Versus Non-Smokers. Although health insurance companies are allowed to charge smokers up to 50% more for premiums in most states, some “smoker-friendly” carriers do not. If you smoke, you may be able to find one of these companies if you shop hard enough.

Do you have to understand the law if you smoke or vape?

With that ruling, you can say the old tobacco policies went up in smoke. So if you smoke or vape, you need to understand the legislation and the probable higher costs of your health insurance. Not to be cheeky, but you’ll pay through the nose.

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Q&A: Tobacco Product Review and Evaluation – Pathways to Market

See more on fda.gov

What Is A Tobacco Product?

  • The Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act(FD&C Act) defines a tobacco product as “any product made or derived from tobacco that is intended for human consumption, including any component, part, or accessory of a tobacco product (except for raw materials other than tobacco used in manufacturing a component, part, or accessory of a tobacco product)” but does not include a dr…
See more on fda.gov

What Is A New Tobacco Product?

  • A new tobacco product is defined under Section 910(a)(1)of the FD&C Act as: 1. Any tobacco product (including those products in test markets) that was not commercially marketed in the United States as of February 15, 2007; or 2. Any modification (including one with a change in design, any component, any part, or any constituent, including a smoke constituent, or in the con…
See more on fda.gov

What Is An Additive?

  • Additive is defined in the FD&C Act as any substance the intended use of which results or may reasonably be expected to result, directly or indirectly, in its becoming a component or otherwise affecting the characteristics of any tobacco product. This includes any substance intended for use as a flavoring or coloring or in producing, manufacturing, packing, processing, preparing, tre…
See more on fda.gov

What Is A Tobacco Product Manufacturer?

  • A tobacco manufacturer is anyone who manufactures, fabricates, assembles, processes, or labels a tobacco product. This includes repackers, relabelers, and those who import a finished tobacco product for sale or distribution in the United States. (Section 900(20)).
See more on fda.gov

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