Starting Nov. 1, Delta employees who have not received the vaccine will have to pay an additional $200 per month to remain on the company’s health plan. It is part of a series of requirements that unvaccinated workers will face in the months to come, the airline’s chief executive, Ed Bastian, said in a memo to staff.
New York Times
I get the idea, I support the effort to get more Americans vaccinated, but I don’t think this one will cut it. It may even be discriminatory and possibly illegal.
While it’s a fair assumption that people who are not vaccinated may get COVID, and they may incur medical bills, there is also the chance that they may not incur bills and there is the chance that a vaccinated person will get COVID and incur medical bills.
In other words, there is no direct guaranteed relationship between vaccinated status and spending in the employers health benefits plan. It’s like charging more for people who are obese. There is plenty of data suggesting these folks will be sicker than others, but many obese people will not incur additional medical costs because of their weight.
QUINNSCOMMENTARY 
Women have been screaming “my body, my choice” for years when it comes to healthcare choices. So, that is my stance when it comes to these so called Covid vaccines, my body, my choice. The fact that covid 19 mRNA are a new type of vaccine – gene therapy no one should be forced to take the shot. . These vaccines where rushed into service without proper safeguards. The data on deaths and severe complications prove that each individual and their doctor should be able to say no to the vaccine, period.
LikeLike
That is inaccurate. There was extensive testing on hundreds of thousands of volunteers world wide and many safeguards and very few deaths and severe complications. The death rate for 363 millions doses of the vaccine given in the US is 0.0019% and that is the percentage of people who died FROM ANY CAUSE after receiving the vaccine, not from the vaccine. The risk of getting the virus and dying is far greater.
LikeLike
How Many Have Died From COVID Vaccines?
Each year, more than 165 million Americans get the flu shot. There were 85 reported deaths following influenza vaccination in 2017; 119 deaths in 2018; and 203 deaths in 2019
Between mid-December 2020 and April 23, 2021, at which point between 95 million and 100 million Americans had received their COVID-19 shots, there were 3,544 reported deaths following COVID vaccination, or about 30 per day
In just four months, the COVID-19 vaccines have killed more people than all available vaccines combined from mid-1997 until the end of 2013 — a period of 15.5 years
As of April 23, 2021, VAERS had also received 12,618 reports of serious adverse events. In total, 118,902 adverse event reports had been filed
In the European Union, the EudraVigilance system had as of April 17, 2021, received 330,218 injury reports after vaccination with one of the four available COVID vaccines, including 7,766 deaths
RD- It is ok to ignore the above data if you want. But 30 deaths per day (that is just in the USA). from a experiential vaccine type, that has never been used before is crazy. What if the people who have died from getting the shot, would of otherwise lived through getting Covid. What about the heart inflammation and blood clot issues, so you may have health issues for the rest of your life because of getting the shot, NO THANKS! I will take my chances, since you cannot trust people when billions of dollars are to be made.
LikeLike
That is not true. Those deaths following COVID vaccinating are from all causes because that is how the reporting is required. There is no confirmed connecting between the vaccine and those deaths. But even more important if they were all caused by the vaccine, that is a death rate of 0.0035% that’s only slightly more than the chance of being struck by lightening.
LikeLike
Just like the CDC data about all covid deaths, before vaccines where available. Deaths where “with covid” not from covid. There is still a risk, like with anything. But since a high number of fully vaccinated people are still getting covid, it is not worth the risk to me since the risk to side effects is my biggest concern. No one should be forced to get any vaccine, if they do not want it.
LikeLike
Strongly disagree. This is a perfect discrimination lawsuit arguing disparate impact based on race. More old people are vaccinated, but old people are disproportionately white. More white people age 12 -64 are vaccinated, much larger percentage than black and Hispanics, due to socioeconomic factors and suspicion of government past practices, as well as immigration status concerns.
Higher fees that disproportionately impact minorities will be a big no no.
LikeLike
Not getting vaccinated and being charged for your decision is just like deciding to continue to smoke. And you are very wrong about morbidly obese people not having more medical issues. I work in a hospital with the vast majority of patients being in the obese to morbidly obese BMI range. They wouldn’t have some of the issues they have if they were and had been in a healthy BMI range. Good for Delta!
LikeLike
I didn’t say that, I said there was plenty of data indicating they do have more health issues, BUT not everyone who is obese will have those issues.
LikeLike
I am afraid that the precedent has already been set. Companies charge more for smokers (mostly life insurance coverage). Some hospitals and healthcare providers will fire you if you are a smoker. Hospitals and other healthcare providers can mandate “approved” vaccines in order to protect you from probable hazards under OHSA requirements. The military can order you to put things into your body that they deem fit at anytime.
I don’t agree with all of this but I understand it.
Now what I don’t agree with is forcing everybody to get the shot. You spoke of freedom and selfishness early this week. But what if you and your doctor have determine that you should not get the vaccine? Is your doctor allowed to make medical decisions anymore? Or is some non-elected official the one making the decisions. In NJ the state’s head medical professional is a nurse.
Now I got the vaccine to get on with my life. I have never gotten a flu shot because they are a season guess from the year before. I suspect that this will be true for the Covid-19 down the road. But if I really had a choice, I would have not have gotten it. Others, I beg for like a tetanus shot.
But some cities have mandated that you get the vaccines or you will excluded from society. You cannot enter stores. How are you suppose to eat? How are you suppose to live? This has turned into a power and control issue. Covid-19 will never go away like all the other flues. It is something, people and leaders of the world must accept.
LikeLike
No doubt there are exceptions for medical reasons. I say individual choice is fine, but in a large and close society it is naturally limited when that choice can have a negative impact on others. To me that includes the possibility of passing illness to others or secondarily, incurring health care costs that are ultimately paid for by others. That’s why in the mid 20th century they confined some people in isolation hospitals.
LikeLike