Workers are told to shape up or pay up

I have always liked how you think. I was thinking the same thing.

Why don’t people mind their own business? Even some conservatives out there want to be a help in minding someone elses business.

Life was less troublesome when people lived and let live.

Employees must stay fit and trim and think only happy thoughts.

People who have happy thoughts appear happy and pleasant.

Others can tell when someone is unhappy.

Unhappy thoughts bring stress and disease.

Stress and disease have costs associated with them.

Staff who appear unhappy will incur a 50% pay reduction per each day of perceived unhappiness to offset possible future use of benefits or sicktime.

Management will determine who is unhappy.

“then we must allow the employer to have a say in any other behavior that affects health insurance costs: diet, exercise, hobbies, driving practices, where he lives, etc.”

But what about the job itself when it contributes to the employees bad habit?

There alot of people who reach for a drink - a cigarette - or a dozen doughnute - when they’ve had an especially bad day at work.

There are alot of people whose work schedule is so hectic, they don’t have the time to make sure they are eating fresh healthy food. They don’t have time to exercise.

So it seems if they’re going to address ALL the factors -then some of it should start right at the workplace itself.

“Yeah, I’m at about 8% bodyfat and, according to this, I’m pretty overweight...funny stuff.”

When I was in college our coach had us all weighed underwater.

I had a teammate (female) who was over 160 lbs. She was tall, probably 5’9”.
She was 7% bodyfat.

When people really live a healthy lifestyle, workout and do strength training, the BMI index becomes useless.

I can almost hear the trial lawyers cheering on this one... Any takers on how long till there's a law suit?

OK I'm game. I'll give it no more than six months before litigation.

Scenario 1. Plaintiff sues because he/she is being penalized for his/her weight, yet plan refuses to cover exercise equipment prescribed by physician to assist in weight reduction as a medical device. Or plan refuses to pay for weight loss drugs despite clear implication that patient's weight is a grave health risk.

Scenario 2. Joe has modestly elevated cholesterol but desirably low blood pressure. He is being charged extra because of the former. Plan gives him no credit for his very good blood pressure even though it helps reduce his risk. He has two co-workers who are within the acceptable guidelines for both cholesterol and blood pressure even though their BP is higher than his. They pay nothing extra.

Both co-workers suffer heart attacks. Concerned about his health, Joe goes for a CAT scan of his coronary arteries at his own expense. The report comes back: his arteries are unusually clear for a man of his age--proof that for whatever reason, the high cholesterol isnt damaging his coronary arteries. Yet he is being penalized based on a simplistic formula to assess risk, while his co-workers, who are costing the Plan a fortune, are paying lower premiums than him.

You are absolutely right. The ambulance chasers are gonna have a field day with this one. The only problem is that in the end, guess who pays for their stupidity? Yup, you and me.

The current system of employer sponsored medical plans grew out of a combination of World War II wage/price controls and a provision of the tax code that allowed employers to deduct the cost of medical/dental benefits as a business expense, while exempting that benefit from the wage control laws. Thus adding “free medical benefits” became a legal way to compete for employees by increasing indirect compensation.

Excellent summary. Many Thanks.

Best regards,

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