Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Apple in talks with Aetna to bring Apple Watch to millions of customers

techcrunch.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 61 posts

Re: Apple in talks with Aetna to bring Apple Watch to millions of customers

#11

Post by vijayr »

TheSpiceIsLife wrote: post #10
pawadu wrote: post #4

"Aetna now reportedly has ambitions to offer it to a wider field — adding large swaths of new health data to pull from and giving the health insurance company insight into the activities of its customers." Oh God no!

But why not. If you're sitting up all night drinking energy drinks and smoking cigarettes while Uber drops off more McDonalds while I'm out running, working out, stretching regularly... Why should I subsidise your insurance?

Isn't that how insurance works though? There are always going to be people who don't take care of themselves. Instead of trying to shame them like this, why not increase awareness? Why not reduce subsidies on corn, meat and instead (or at least in addition to) subsidize vegetables and fruits?

Re: Apple in talks with Aetna to bring Apple Watch to millions of customers

#12

Post by Maakuth »

snarf21 wrote: post #9
jeron wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

honestly I'd support a program where the more you work out the lower your insurance premiums would be. Pretty hard to cheat workouts with Apple Watch when it has a heart rate sensor and all that.

It isn't a horrible idea in the abstract but it seems likely sex would trigger data similar to most workouts. Also, there are people who eat healthy but don't have time for the gym. Conversely people who go to the gym everyday but mostly to try to burn up their Big Mac combo meal. From an insurance standpoint, I think HA1C is the only measure we could like use. Things like BMI, etc. are too varied based on genetics.

You generally get what you measure, so be careful to measure what you want to get. Isn't elevated heart rate connected to better health outcomes no matter what physical activity it comes from? Why should the insurance company care if some of it is sex instead of, say, running?

Re: Apple in talks with Aetna to bring Apple Watch to millions of customers

#13

Post by LaGrange »

TheSpiceIsLife wrote: post #10
pawadu wrote: post #4

"Aetna now reportedly has ambitions to offer it to a wider field — adding large swaths of new health data to pull from and giving the health insurance company insight into the activities of its customers." Oh God no!

But why not. If you're sitting up all night drinking energy drinks and smoking cigarettes while Uber drops off more McDonalds while I'm out running, working out, stretching regularly... Why should I subsidise your insurance?

If I'm sitting at home, avoiding skin cancer and excessive wear & tear, while you're running around ruining your joints and breathing car exhaust...

...why should I subsidise _your_ insurance?

(really, America is so weird. Even in our rather terrible non-single-payer insurance system it would be illegal to base premiums on lifestyle. Insurance cost is decided by law, you may buy some extras, the end).

Re: Apple in talks with Aetna to bring Apple Watch to millions of customers

#14

Post by Shivetya »

pawadu wrote: post #4

"Aetna now reportedly has ambitions to offer it to a wider field — adding large swaths of new health data to pull from and giving the health insurance company insight into the activities of its customers." Oh God no!

I am against it not for privacy reasons but instead because it is an expensive option for what it offers. there are many lower cost options that can perform the monitoring they claim. People get mad at the cost of insurance, well here is one major reason why.

This would almost be as bad as when the local police forces and post offices near us got Segways. that and when schools were bamboozled into buying iPads for all students.

Apple is padding their bottom line, nothing more. Aetna is going along because it must make some higher ups feel good by association.

Re: Apple in talks with Aetna to bring Apple Watch to millions of customers

#15

Post by sverige »

Shivetya wrote: post #14
pawadu wrote: post #4

"Aetna now reportedly has ambitions to offer it to a wider field — adding large swaths of new health data to pull from and giving the health insurance company insight into the activities of its customers." Oh God no!

I am against it not for privacy reasons but instead because it is an expensive option for what it offers. there are many lower cost options that can perform the monitoring they claim. People get mad at the cost of insurance, well here is one major reason why. This would almost be as bad as when the local police forces and post offices near us got Segways. that and when schools were bamboozled into buying iPads for al…

For a while, the story was that watches were going to take over the world. Now, the story is that the overstock has to be got rid of somehow.

Re: Apple in talks with Aetna to bring Apple Watch to millions of customers

#16

Post by melling »

sverige wrote: post #15
Shivetya wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am against it not for privacy reasons but instead because it is an expensive option for what it offers. there are many lower cost options that can perform the monitoring they claim. People get mad at the cost of insurance, well here is one major reason why. This would almost be as bad as when the local police forces and post offices near us got Segways. that and when schools were bamboozled into buying iPads for al…

For a while, the story was that watches were going to take over the world. Now, the story is that the overstock has to be got rid of somehow.

Apple Watch sales are up 50%

https://techcrunch.com/2017/08/01/apple-watch-sales-up-over-...

I’d say they are simply trying to grow their market.

Re: Apple in talks with Aetna to bring Apple Watch to millions of customers

#17

Post by pawadu »

melling wrote: post #16
sverige wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For a while, the story was that watches were going to take over the world. Now, the story is that the overstock has to be got rid of somehow.

Apple Watch sales are up 50% https://techcrunch.com/2017/08/01/apple-watch-sales-up-over-... I’d say they are simply trying to grow their market.

Yet Apple is #3 after Xiaomi and fitbit, with more Asian companies closing in.

I think Apple needs this deal more than they admit.

Re: Apple in talks with Aetna to bring Apple Watch to millions of customers

#18

Post by mosselman »

TheSpiceIsLife wrote: post #10
pawadu wrote: post #4

"Aetna now reportedly has ambitions to offer it to a wider field — adding large swaths of new health data to pull from and giving the health insurance company insight into the activities of its customers." Oh God no!

But why not. If you're sitting up all night drinking energy drinks and smoking cigarettes while Uber drops off more McDonalds while I'm out running, working out, stretching regularly... Why should I subsidise your insurance?

Next thing you know you will pay higher premiums when you decide to have children with someone of whom some algorithm says is a poor match with your genes. Why should I subsidise your "inferior" child?

Re: Apple in talks with Aetna to bring Apple Watch to millions of customers

#19

Post by saiya-jin »

zimpenfish wrote: post #8
jeron wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

honestly I'd support a program where the more you work out the lower your insurance premiums would be. Pretty hard to cheat workouts with Apple Watch when it has a heart rate sensor and all that.

Vitality (in the UK) link with a whole range of things - Health, Fitbit, Garmin, Polar, Moves, Nokia, etc. Although you get rewards from them (Starbucks drinks, cinema tickets, etc.) rather than straight discounts on your insurance.

exercise often to get some Starbucks drinks... hilarious

Re: Apple in talks with Aetna to bring Apple Watch to millions of customers

#20

Post by yardie »

TheSpiceIsLife wrote: post #10
pawadu wrote: post #4

"Aetna now reportedly has ambitions to offer it to a wider field — adding large swaths of new health data to pull from and giving the health insurance company insight into the activities of its customers." Oh God no!

But why not. If you're sitting up all night drinking energy drinks and smoking cigarettes while Uber drops off more McDonalds while I'm out running, working out, stretching regularly... Why should I subsidise your insurance?

Why should the young subsidize the old. Why should healthy subsidize the chronically ill. Why should anyone subsidize anyone else at all. You should only pay what you use and nothing more.

/s [this tag necessary because idiots seriously believe this]

Post reply on HN