Why aren't those who stutter & stammer charged a lower per-minute rate, on long distance telephone calls?

I really believe that it is unfair for someone genuinely afflicted with those kind of speech problems, to be charged the same per-minute rate, when it sometimes takes them longer to complete a telephone conversation.

I’m not asking this to be some kind of wiseguy; I have a cousin who has that problem, and he, like country singer Mel Tillis, sometimes makes humorous observations about it. However, when he jokingly mentioned to me that he has to pay the same rates as those not afflicted, the impetus for this very serious question, resulted.

Anyone have any ideas about why this rate discrepancy exists, and what might be done, to “correct” it? Thanks for your input!

September 6, 2008, 12:59 PM EDT