Company to Charge Workers for Unhealthy Habits

angski · Post by **angski** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 3:04 pm

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- An Indianapolis hospital company is planning to charge workers extra for health insurance if they don't stop smoking, or control their weight and cholesterol levels.

Starting next year, Clarian Health employees will have to pay an extra five-dollars every two weeks if they smoke.

And starting in 2009, employees will have 30-dollars deduced from their biweekly paycheck if they fail to measure up in five areas -- including body mass and blood pressure.

Questionnaires and screenings will be used to detect health risks.

Clarian is giving employees time to make changes before most of the extra charges take effect and is providing them with free smoking-cessation and wellness programs.

bwohlgemuth · Post by **bwohlgemuth** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 3:39 pm

Going to love how they are going to measure Type A personalities...

Go ahead and charge me more for my insurance....I'll be sure to use it more often.

"Hmm...what's that tingling in my throat? It could be cancer. Better get to the doc and demand a MRI, just in case."

How will this extra money be used? Will this mean since I'm paying more, I can stop listening to people bitching about my life or lifestyle? Of course it won't since these people are convinced that I am "going" to cost them more, even though I almost NEVER use my coverage expect for injuries (usually sports related).

deek · Post by **deek** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 3:52 pm

Well, the industry has been doing this for years, so it isn't anything new. They are just getting more things added to raise premiums. Honestly, I like this better, because if I was a skinny, non-smoker and I had to pay extra on MY insurance because Fat Smoker Bob is a big liability...I'd be pretty pissed...

I like this a lot better than a blanket increase!!!

bassjones · Post by **bassjones** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 4:02 pm

They'd save more money by checking family history and charging accordingly. My entire family is overweight for at least 4 generations, ate bacon, eggs cooked in bacon grease, oatmeal with real cream on it for breakfast, red meat for lunch and dinner practically every day and most of them have lived into their 80's and 90's with very few health problems or insurance expenses. My dad's side has a slight risk for diabetes (controlled pretty easily so far), but that's about it.

Despite all the brewha over smoking, you're still at far greater risk for developing cancer, including lung cancer if you have a family history of cancer than you are if you smoke.

So, will they be doing genetic testing too? Probably not, since they'd probably get sued, but it makes far more sense than this kind of crap.