Reader asks a good question on underwriting:
The word “non-smoker” appears in the chart you posted. In five years of reading about the ACA, this is the first time I’ve seen a reference to individuals being treated differently on the basis of their smoking or not smoking. While it was understandable that premiums would be higher for smokers in the days of underwriting, I had assumed that Guaranteed Issue and Community Rating meant that smoking — like other risk factors — would no longer affect individuals’ insurance options. I hope that you will post at some point about how insurance options differ for the large minority of people given to this particular vice.
The short answer is that smokers will pay more. The long answer is below: