My Letter to My Health Insurance Company: Celtic

Every year, health insurance companies raise their premiums. On the first year, they have these "teaser" rates -- very affordable and very attractive. But on the second year, they raise the prices. Mine went up close to 15% in premiums.

So they sent me a letter, either I go with the new insurance rates or go with a cheaper option but carry a $2,500 deductible or $5,000 deductible -- which is crazy. So I wrote them a letter.

Dear Celtic Management:

You sent me a letter that you were raising my insurance premiums starting 02/01/2008. Please do NOT renew my health insurance with your company. Your other options are NOT acceptable. I regret that you are doing this as you made money on last year’s premiums.

Secondly, aside from doctor checkups, we have had no claims against our insurance. In short, we feel like we are paying more because we are healthy: we do not smoke, we do not drink alcohol, and we have healthy diets. We feel as if we are paying more each year because people are choosing lifestyles that hurt their health. This is simply unfair.

If in the future, you create an affordable health plan for people that are not overweight, do not smoke, and do not drink alcohol so that the premiums do not go up every year, please give me a call.

Thank you,

Don Sausa

Our health system in America is broken because people choose to be unhealthy.
Politicians like Clinton, Obama, Edwards, and others want to overhaul the health care system. But what many fail to realize or fail to emphasize is that America's health system is broken because the health of Americans is broken. Around 25% of Americans smoke, 60% are overweight, and 80% drink alcohol.

It's a no brainer that smoking kills you, being overweight kills you, and drinking alcohol kills you (healthy heart good news: wine helps your heart, kills your liver and causes cancer -- that's a bad trade off).

How to fix America's health care system? Teach people to eat good food (avoid pork and other red meats), avoid smoking, avoid drinking alcohol, rest on a weekend once a week with no work in mind (ie: Saturday), and get sleep everyday.