What you say is true. I work in a hospital and think it won’t be long before the smokers and obese are charged higher premiums for their health insurance. For a few years they’ve strongly encouraged the work force to join work supervised exercise programs. You weigh in, show a weight loss and get discounts on your health insurance premiums. Smoking on hospital property can cost you your job, and yes I mean even smoking in your own car in the parking lot.
They are doing those exact same things where my cousin works. All of it. They raised insurance premiums, and in order to get the insurance for what it's 'supposed' to cost, the employees must enroll in their "wellness program". I'm not sure I could ever work at such a place.
This article is terribly disturbing, and I see NO benefit in this healthcare mandate which is under consideration. Obesity is prevalent in current and prospective healthcare providers, as well as the general population. Potential problems... include but are not limited to 1) Discouraging potentially good nurses, etc. to even consider healthcare as a career; 2) Raising questions among those applying for healthcare positions who don’t get hired to wonder whether or not it was due to lack of credentials or their appearance; 3) Causing dissension among coworkers; 4) Doing harm to the healthcare facility, since obesity is not easy to solve. (About 90% of persons struggling with their weight and who go on diets regain the weight and then some.); and last, but not least 5) Hurt the unemployed, the poor, the elderly, and the disabled. dsat—RN