Posted on 06/12/2010 1:44:37 PM PDT by libertarian27
BENTON HARBOR - Howard Weyers believes that the bottom line for health care costs depends on what's happening with the waist lines of employees.
Or the lungs, or any other organ that could fail due to misuse or neglect and cost an employer money.
And he believes those employers should be encouraging workers to live healthier lifestyles and aggressively monitoring what they do inside - and outside - of the workplace.
"If we do nothing about personal health, we will do nothing with cost," Weyers, a health benefit consultant based near Lansing, told about 40 people Friday at his seminar at Michigan Works on reducing health care costs. "It all starts with personal health: for you, your spouse and your children."
As the owner of Weyco Inc., a health care consulting company, Weyers started policies that put his employees on notice that they - and eventually their spouses - would have to shape up or ship out. ~snip~ Journalists questioned whether Weyers was taking a "Big Brother" approach toward the health of his employees. ~snip~ His philosophy, he explained to his audience, is "I pay, I say. If you pay, you say." ~snip~ He said the third hurdle to staying healthy is not following a doctor's orders. He had an employee who was diabetic but neglected to take the steps to lessen the effects and had frequent hospital visits. That person was shown the door.
(Excerpt) Read more at heraldpalladium.com ...
Probably be another Jim Fixx. The guy who was going to live forever due to running...keeled over dead at 52 after his morning run.
I’m hoping that there will be an enormous backlash in November to Obamalini’s policies...
Yes, but what does that have to do with private employers firing people who smoke, are generally unhealthy or may live a lifestyle or orientation that the owners of the company find to be unacceptable?
Yep.
They’ll never dictate it, they’ll just arrange legislation so the employers are forced to do it on their own. Sort of like the way Denmark handles private car ownership: No one is forbidden to drive a car, but no cars are produced domestically, so all must be imported, and all imported cars are saddled with a 150% sales tax. Further, gasoline is heavily taxed, to the point where it’s far more cost-effective to use public transportation. Likewise, no one will *require* employers to fire “unhealthy” employees, they’ll just arrange legislation in such a way that insurers will be required to charge exorbitant premiums for an arbitrary list of “unhealthy” lifestyle choices, including diets with lots of red meat, smoking, motorcycle riding, “adventure sports” (rock climbing, hang gliding), “excessive” weight (no doubt based on the worthless BMI statistic), and so on (homosexuality will be excluded, despite being far more dangerous, as will certain racially-correlated factors). It will amount to the same thing in the end.
He’s been an asshole for years evidently. This isn’t the first time health nazi has gone over the line.
So does he pay 100% of his employees health ins? My company pays for some but I also pay every week. We were told if we smoke or not take a yearly physical our premiums may go up.
And just wait until someone provides health information about health risks of homosexual behavior. Will that ever happen? They will lecture us about being overweight, but never will anything be said about homosexuality.
Not making moral judgements here, just health ones. Male homosexual behavior is risky. Are they willing to take this all the way into sex lives?
He maybe freelancing now. According to the article, he sold the company..
Another corporate nazi. Yes, probably a “libertarian.”
I have no problem with those who lead “unhealthy” lives (smoking,overweight,skydiving,auto racing.etc) paying more for health insurance than others.But *firing* such people goes too far.
Oh pleeeze - Newbie.....
“Weyers is a trim man of 76 who said he eats healthy and works out five or six times a week. He was a runner for 40 years before knee problems slowed him down.”
Wow, seems his lifestyle has caused potential healthcare expenses.
It has to do with the fact that healthcare mandates and costs under Obamalini are driving employers to be harder on these issues than they would otherwise be. I see that as one source of backlash, among many.
First they came for the smokers....but I was not a smoker...
Then they came for the fatties...but I was not a fattie...
Then they came for the drinkers..but I didnt drink..
Then they came for the meat eaters...so I quit eating meat to keep my job...
Then they came for the GUN OWNERS, motorcycle riders and corvette owners, the rock climbers and ski-divers and boaters...but I owned no motorcycle,vette,or boat...didnt climb rocks or skydive...I dutifully sold my guns to keep my job...
Then they came for anyone who didnt ride a bike to work...so I bought a bike to keep my job......
Then they started genetic testing to screen potential risks...then I was screwed and no one stood up for me.
Except in this case, he started this crap back in 2003. Long before Obama was out of the streets of Chicago.
There are two points - one generally about backlash because this is the direction the planners in DC are trying to force on everyone. The other is that whether anybody likes it or not, conservatives ought to recognize the owner has the right to do this.
Yes, but that was back in the 'day' when lines were drawn in the sand with private health care costs. He's a nutty employer with draconian practices - go work for another employer...American Works.... But with Nationalized HealthScare, there will be just one big employer bracket and one big umbrella of healthcare...where do you go then?
Costa Rica? Si?
Not according to the government. There are protected classes. Skin color, national origin, sexual orientation. I bet a lot of fat freepers who applauded Scott Co. for firing smokers are pooping their stretch pants now. How will they feel when they are fired unless they weigh 160 lbs.?
Oh mindless libertarian OldBEY speaks out for big pollutin’ BP. “I don’t care who the corporation ruins, it’s their business!”
Being a libertarian is easy. No moral delimas; no responsibility, either! Rah rah profit...GOOOOO BP! Libertarianism for dummmies. :)
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