Companies linking health factors to benefits (First tehy came for the smokers....)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20625381/ ^ | 9-9-07

[Hydroshock]

CINCINNATI - First they tried nudging. Now companies are penalizing workers who have high health risks such as obesity and high blood pressure or cholesterol as insurance costs climb.

Lee Morrison, 51, doesn’t mind the push, which came in the form of added insurance charges from his employer, Western & Southern Financial Group.

“I knew if I wanted to be healthier and pay less, it was up to me to do something about it,” said Morrison, who has lost 54 pounds and lowered his body mass index enough to earn refunds the past two years.

[mysterio]

All the folks in this thread taking the “if you don’t want to pay more, don’t smoke, eat, etc.” attitude will be shocked to find how quickly charging people more for unhealthy habits will bring about national socialized health care.

[gracesdad]

I doubt they test for either, but if you have AIDS and you can’t do your job because of it, you’ll most likely be fired.

As for sexual deviancy, exactly who would be in charge of defining it? There are Freepers who consider having sex with your wife using birth control sexually deviant. I’ve even had a few tell me that’s as bad a sin as homosexual sex. There are a number who consider oral sex between consenting heterosexuals deviant, but others don’t. And how many heterosexual partners would you have to have annually to be considered deviant?

[traditional1]

You're exactly right; no sex deviate has to PROVE their deviancy to anyone (we just get bombarded with promotions from certain groups). Unfortunately, once a group becomes a demographic of a size that COULD constitute a "voting bloc", politicians fall all over themselves trying to pander to them.

Healthcare will be attacked by whatever means necessary to win-over the populace to the tune of "the government can provide your healthcare", which is the takeover of the 1/7 of the economy that it covers, and FORCING the funding by re-distributing wealth, as always.

Whenever you hear that people have a "right" to something, hang onto your wallet. These "rights" come at the expense of the have's, to hand out to the have-nots, to buy their subservience and loyalty. That's the whole enchilada, right there.

[subterfuge]

Simple economics.

You seem to have confused economics with draconian, tyrannical and contolling policies that border on oppresion. So how much extra are you paying for those mashed potatoes?

[subterfuge]

I don't have a problem with them paying higher premiums.

Sorry to be so harsh, but how stupid can you be? You do realize this has NO END, right?

Do you long for the days when the government issues "proper" food and water rations?

[rb22982]

The solution is to sever the link between employment and benefits.

Pay me my whole salary in cash and let me buy my healthcare and fund my retirement on pre-tax dollars.

Bingo