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Apple in Talks With Insurance Companies Over HealthKit Partnership
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LOL
some of the responses here are funny.
Don't get me wrong, I feel car monitors and life monitors to tell insurance companies anything is not my cup of tea. But the program here is no different than what my company currently offers. Get a "well health" check-up and get a rebate back on your paycheck. All at the employee's option if you want the $500, you go see your doc and get a check-up. If not you don't. Same thing here.
However, the day they make this mandatory is the day I'm PO'd. As long as it's optional have at it.
If this pisses you off at Apple, then you're going to be pissed at many of the high-tech companies. I'm sure anyone that makes a device with a health monitor will be jumping on this bandwagon. And besides if they ever make this mandatory, get pissed at the government for allowing it and taking away your freedom of choice and freedom of life.
Don't get me wrong, I feel car monitors and life monitors to tell insurance companies anything is not my cup of tea. But the program here is no different than what my company currently offers. Get a "well health" check-up and get a rebate back on your paycheck. All at the employee's option if you want the $500, you go see your doc and get a check-up. If not you don't. Same thing here.
However, the day they make this mandatory is the day I'm PO'd. As long as it's optional have at it.
If this pisses you off at Apple, then you're going to be pissed at many of the high-tech companies. I'm sure anyone that makes a device with a health monitor will be jumping on this bandwagon. And besides if they ever make this mandatory, get pissed at the government for allowing it and taking away your freedom of choice and freedom of life.
Car insurance indeed already works this way: either pay full price, or "have our black box in your car and we charge you according to your driving style". What goes into their calculation you will never know, but you definitely owe them the money anyway because you signed the contract...
In the beginning they said "you will get a cheaper rate if you have our blackbox in your car".
Somehow I like the idea of purchasing an iWatch somewhere on vacation just to mess up all the data collection, but then again they might tie the iWatch to the iCloud account....
This shows how messed up the American healthcare system is. Hospital bills are incredibly expensive. Insurance bills are incredibly expensive. To top it all of, even if you have insurance, you still can still end up with a bill from the hospital.
There is no obligation to it, nor is it discussed in the pricing of the health plan. The health plan is not reduced by this. Statistically it pays the company back by less health related issues. These guys are not in it for my well being, you don't have to argue that point.
I'm already trying to get a firearm license so I can keep a gun. Slippery slope.
If you have insurance you WILL endup with a bill. there is no way around it. You'll just pay a "cheaper" bill.
Dunno, everyone I talk to seems happy about it.
We both agree that HealthKit could be used to change what you pay for insurance. The difference between how you see the issue and how I see it is that I see the integration with my insurance as a choice which would reduce my rates, you see it as mandatory if you don't want higher rates. This is just debating semantics, but the end result is that people who are taking steps to lead a healthier life are paying less because of it. This already happens all over the place (non-smoker discounts), and I am in favor of this type of model. The reason insurace companies like this is because research shows people who take track their health are healthier, and cost less, and live longer. Positive reinforcement of a healthy lifestype via a financial discount is very effective. Why would anyone be opposed to having technology that helps us lead healthier lives?
As for getting older and having to pay higher rates, they already know that you are getting older and will cost more, this is nothing new (the additional amount that you can be charged is defined by the law to limit the gouging). But again, healthcare technology being offered as an incentive to improve your health and reduce what you pay...why would you not take that opportunity (setting aside tinfoil hat reasons)?
Time to review what we've learned:
The article MR twisted up for their piece contains no evidence whatsoever that "Apple is in talks with insurance companies" for any partnerships of any kind. The source article is almost entirely about large employers working with their insurance companies to control their premiums. But by all means, continue to discuss what Apple's partnerships with insurance companies will mean to you and the world.
The article MR twisted up for their piece contains no evidence whatsoever that "Apple is in talks with insurance companies" for any partnerships of any kind. The source article is almost entirely about large employers working with their insurance companies to control their premiums. But by all means, continue to discuss what Apple's partnerships with insurance companies will mean to you and the world.
Yeah, I did all that, thanks for the great advice. My grandparents came over from (what is now) Russia right before the Communists took power with virtually nothing. No taxpayers were there paying for their every need. I have a little background to say what I want.
Insurance...
...is the largest legalised con going. I would not allow any of data going to an insurance company. These organisations already leverage such significant power that the small cannot attest any wrong doing without the constant threat of financial ruin.
As it says in the small print " premiums can go up as well as down". Never go down they always go up. If rid myself of all Apple products if this is angle they're going to take.
...is the largest legalised con going. I would not allow any of data going to an insurance company. These organisations already leverage such significant power that the small cannot attest any wrong doing without the constant threat of financial ruin.
As it says in the small print " premiums can go up as well as down". Never go down they always go up. If rid myself of all Apple products if this is angle they're going to take.
"...and you'll see why 1984, won't be like 1984."
Oh, what famous last words from a company I once, repeat once, revered as a model for all others. Let's all now take a bow to both the almighty dollar and to the almighty insurance companies who are continuously making small incremental attempts to control our lives under the transparent guise of bettering them.
Think about how the use of GPS started out for civilians, and think about the dystopian ways it is being used today. Get the idea?
Enough said. I just hope people wake up to this sooner rather than later.
Oh, what famous last words from a company I once, repeat once, revered as a model for all others. Let's all now take a bow to both the almighty dollar and to the almighty insurance companies who are continuously making small incremental attempts to control our lives under the transparent guise of bettering them.
Think about how the use of GPS started out for civilians, and think about the dystopian ways it is being used today. Get the idea?
Enough said. I just hope people wake up to this sooner rather than later.
Or, we could review what we haven't learned. That, obviously, would be much longer discussion.
-EMF Alert -EMF Alert -EMF Alert -EMF Alert -EMF Alert-
its a threshold *****... once you've reached it you're doomed ... the problem is that more and more % of the pop is sedentary... and thus dont "clean" cells by sweating ..
however there's a couple of tricks you can do in order to prevent being intoxicated...
use wired connections, avoid using the cell (airplane mode or cut 3G at least)
of course, you should avoid heavy metals cause that changes a thing in your cells, which make your cells "feel" the EMFs... of course, you can also buy a water filter, and some vitamins/supplemeents/minerals... for examplee, get vitamin B, calcium, magnesium, manganese (if found), calcium and phosphorus...
however, be sure to get GOOD QUALITY vitamins and minerals, otherwise the end of taking such pills could threaten your health in other ways...
the most important point of all : have good sleep free of any EMFs... you can put different layers of foil on your rooms window if u got an electrical ***** near your bed !
it's freaking serious... but it's relatively easy to detox yourself...
bye
its a threshold *****... once you've reached it you're doomed ... the problem is that more and more % of the pop is sedentary... and thus dont "clean" cells by sweating ..
however there's a couple of tricks you can do in order to prevent being intoxicated...
use wired connections, avoid using the cell (airplane mode or cut 3G at least)
of course, you should avoid heavy metals cause that changes a thing in your cells, which make your cells "feel" the EMFs... of course, you can also buy a water filter, and some vitamins/supplemeents/minerals... for examplee, get vitamin B, calcium, magnesium, manganese (if found), calcium and phosphorus...
however, be sure to get GOOD QUALITY vitamins and minerals, otherwise the end of taking such pills could threaten your health in other ways...
the most important point of all : have good sleep free of any EMFs... you can put different layers of foil on your rooms window if u got an electrical ***** near your bed !
it's freaking serious... but it's relatively easy to detox yourself...
bye
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I work for a smaller, regional health insurance company, and this is definitely not a bad idea, but I see problems.
We have a similar deal with BodyFit media... but you have to use a Bodyfit media device. This is why the partnership and feature isn't very compelling or successful, and also why it would not be such a hot partnership for Apple and Insurance companies.
Granted, there are a lot more iPhone users thant Bodyfit users, but it still limits the user to having to have one kind of device.
Google is working on a similar initiative, and Android has a much much larger number of users.
I don't think direct partnerships with Apple or Google is where this is going to be at. A third party developer that creates an App that works with both IOS and Android and can sync data with Apple and Google's native apps is who will take the gold on this one.
Or.... Google would simply launch an IOS app (something Apple would never do on Android, but should start considering for odd things like this or iTunes) unless apple blocked it for "duplicating the functionality of IOS."
And most medical providers are adopting E-Record or compatible m-health standards that share medical data across carriers and health systems. Apple really needs to get on that train as well.
We have a similar deal with BodyFit media... but you have to use a Bodyfit media device. This is why the partnership and feature isn't very compelling or successful, and also why it would not be such a hot partnership for Apple and Insurance companies.
Granted, there are a lot more iPhone users thant Bodyfit users, but it still limits the user to having to have one kind of device.
Google is working on a similar initiative, and Android has a much much larger number of users.
I don't think direct partnerships with Apple or Google is where this is going to be at. A third party developer that creates an App that works with both IOS and Android and can sync data with Apple and Google's native apps is who will take the gold on this one.
Or.... Google would simply launch an IOS app (something Apple would never do on Android, but should start considering for odd things like this or iTunes) unless apple blocked it for "duplicating the functionality of IOS."
And most medical providers are adopting E-Record or compatible m-health standards that share medical data across carriers and health systems. Apple really needs to get on that train as well.
I still think it's possible Apple is working on health related wearable device(s) and will partner with insurance companies so consumers can get it at a discount.
In the realm of anything being possible, I suppose. But consider the appeal of a concept that allows your insurance company to monitor your vital signs. Do you really think Apple would want to be associated with such an idea?
Are you ready for an iProbe?
Give them an inch and they'll take 100 miles. This is way too invasive. It's like trying to setup a Faceplant account w/o providing how often you take a crap. If you want the government, or insurance companies monitoring your health signs, blood chemistry, or any other number of things 24/7 then by all means be subjugated to your hearts delight. I have about as much interest in this kind of technology as having a tooth drilled with no novocaine.
Give them an inch and they'll take 100 miles. This is way too invasive. It's like trying to setup a Faceplant account w/o providing how often you take a crap. If you want the government, or insurance companies monitoring your health signs, blood chemistry, or any other number of things 24/7 then by all means be subjugated to your hearts delight. I have about as much interest in this kind of technology as having a tooth drilled with no novocaine.
Holy crap... this.cracked.me.UP!
If laughing is considered healthy and gives you discount, I just got a big one thanks to this. I'll share with you man.