Free Republic

Companies are charging smokers more money for health insurance CINCINNATI — Smokers already feeling pressure from increasing cigarette costs and workplace smoking bans are now feeling squeezed from another direction — health insurance premiums. A growing number of employers — private and public — are charging employees who use tobacco more money for their health insurance coverage. Employers hope that the higher charges will motivate more employees to stop smoking, resulting in improved health and lower health care costs for the companies and their workers. "With smokers costing companies about 25 percent more than nonsmokers in the area of health...

During the President's speech, which lasted approximately 1 hour, the Sr. Senator from Massachusetts, Edward "Ted" Kennedy demonstrated once again the old adage that "a picture is worth a thousand words". The speech by President Bush contained just under 5,500 words and itwould appear that at least several of them caused Senator Kennedy great psychic pain... (see photos: http://www.x234.com/teddyk/teddyk.html)