Do they care or it is all about money?

[Deleted]

My company every year organizes this Weight loss, get healthy competition at my job. This year I decided what the heck, might as well get paid to lose some weight (trying to get to single digit body fat for our trip in August).

Last night one of my wife's friends said how it was great of them to do so and they must really care about their employees. I said no... not really! The less you weight or you are a non smoker (you can also get prizes for not smoking) the less they have to pay in insurance premiums for you; also my job is self insured.

The more they can encourage their employees to stay active, stop smoking (this year your family members are even eligible to join but their prizes are limited to $50 while the employees goes up to $1,000) the less it will cost them to insure you.

So: do they really care or it's all about the Benjamin's?
Or am I just a skeptical/pessimists SOB?

[zibazinski]

It's certainly all about the money but be glad that they aren't unloading the fat/unhealthy employees like a lot of businesses do.

[Deleted]

Apr 11, 2011 6:36:21 GMT -5 zibazinski said:

It's certainly all about the money but be glad that they aren't unloading the fat/unhealthy employees like a lot of businesses do.

Do jobs really to that? isn't that like a law suit waiting to happen?

[zibazinski]

Right, and it's just so easily proven. Older workers don't get hired as often either and it isn't because the company MIGHT have to pay them more, it's because they cost more to insure. You don't see a lot of overweight people getting hired unless they have a skill so necessary that it can be overlooked. Besides being unattractive, there can be health issues. Not always but why should a company take that chance? It's ALL about the bottom line. The company could care less about you or yours.

[alabamagal]

One year a group at my company was holding a weight loss contest (not company sponsored, just a group of friends). Who would lose the most over 3 months. They wouldn't let me enter. I was 8 months pregnant. Guess if I was one of those lawsuit types, I could have sued.....

Another time the company sponsored on of those, "Get a health screening, get $100 toward you insurance". My blood test was all out of whack, and they reported I was over my ideal body weight. Again, I was 7 months pregnant! The nurse doing it kink of chuckled, knowing it wasn't going to tell me anything I didn't already know, but hey I wanted my $100.

[Deleted]

No, I mean like firing someone because they are overweight/obese! I mean what does that have to do with their jobs or capacity to do their jobs.

At my heaviest I was 335 lbs and I was damn good at my job and it did not involve any physical activity.

[Deleted]

These are the federally protected nondiscriminatory classes. Wight is not one of them.

Race - Federal: Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Civil Rights Act of 1866
Color - Federal: Civil Rights Act of 1964
Religion - Federal: Civil Rights Act of 1964
National origin - Federal: Civil Rights Act of 1964
Age (40 and over) - Federal: Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967
Sex - Federal: Equal Pay Act of 1963 & Civil Rights Act of 1964
Familial status (Housing, cannot discriminate for having children, exception for senior housing)
Sexual orientation (in some jurisdictions and not in others)
Gender identity (in some jurisdictions and not in others)
Disability status - Federal: Vocational Rehabilitation and Other Rehabilitation Services of 1973 & Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
Veteran status - Federal Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974
Genetic information - Federal: Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act

[reader79]

It's all about the money, weighing more can lead to diabetes and other diseases which can be expensive to manage. At my job, we get $130 annually for completing a 'confidential' health assessment. The results are forwarded to another company which starts hounding you if they feel you need condition management. They are also penalizing smokers for the first time this year, it will cost them an extra $130 ($5/paycheck,) for health coverage.

We also got a $75 payout for signing up for a wellness program, and $125 if you completed it within the year. I signed up for a coach to call me and discuss my weight, but I cancelled because they were slow on getting me the incentive money. When you say 'immediate' I think immediate - not four months later.

[phil5185]

So: do they really care or it's all about the Benjamin's?

It turns out to be the same goal, they are not mutully exclusive. Mangement wants to retain the best & brightest employees - thus the upscale furnishings, cafeteria, covered parking, flex hours, on-site gym, weight room, etc. And healthier employees have more energy, perform better at meetings (creative), self confidence, less sick time,

[april47]

I did not like my work's "wellness" program. It reduced your deductible on your insurance by $250. They called it "free" money. However, there were so many quizes (on computer) and so many checkoffs and requirements that to me it wasn't worth it.

[Deleted]

Apr 11, 2011 8:21:25 GMT -5 TheHaitian said:

No, I mean like firing someone because they are overweight/obese! I mean what does that have to do with their jobs or capacity to do their jobs.

At my heaviest I was 335 lbs and I was damn good at my job and it did not involve any physical activity.

Over the long haul, obese employees cost employers more. Maybe not a given individual, but the statistical average.

Obese people tend to take more sick days - so even if someone doesn't have a physically demanding job, the employer needs them to be in their chair, doing their work.

Some of the sick days are the result of regular illnesses like colds and sinus infections hitting folks harder because they are in overall poorer health and their immune system isn't as able to fight back. And some of it has to do with the comorbidities associated with obesity - they may be out for long stretches with knee surgery or frequent doctor's appointments to manage their diabetes, etc.

Weight has been a battle in my life as well, so I don't want to see companies villifying fat people anymore than I want them to shun smokers. But there is a cost to the bottom line associated with unhealthy employees.

[Deleted]

Apr 11, 2011 8:32:34 GMT -5 phil5185 said:

And healthier employees have more energy, perform better at meetings (creative), self confidence, less sick time,

I agree- it may be for selfish reasons on the part of the company but it helps the employee, too. I look at women my age (58) who are paying the price for decades of obesity- walking looks painful and they carry their laptops in little wheeled cases so they don't have to overload their backs. I walk up 4 flights of steps to my office. I'm willing to bet I take fewer sick days and less time off for doctor visits- I take about one sick day every 3 years, and doctor visits are only for the bare minimum preventative tests. Partly good genes and the grace of God, but a lot of it is my own doing, and my employer benefits.

As for discrimination- I read a recent column in our local paper that quoted a WSJ article on things HR won't tell you about hiring. One is that fat people have less of a chance of being hired.

[telephus44]

It's all about the Benjamins. We have a wellness program too, if you do so many things (get a phyiscal, participate in the weight loss group, get a flu shot, stuff like that) you get a certain amount of cash back at the end of the year, depending on what insurance plan you've signed up for. My employer directly told us that by offering this plan, our insurance company lowered their rates.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

We have a wellness survey you can take and get increased benefits. I took it and I cracked up because it told me my BMI was "dangerously low". The "normal" BMI is 18.5 mine was. . .18! Guess I forgot to count the weight of my shoes!

I found the questions far too narrow. Like the question "Do you exercise CONSISTENTLY for at least 30 minutes a day". Well no but I walk clear across campus every day lugging a 10 lb breast pump and have a steep two block up hill climb from my car every single day.

But that didn't count so it informed me that I do not "exercise" and need to get more phyiscal activity. Whatever.

I personally don't see how the survey helps the employees because if you have serious enough problems that the survey gives you a whack upside the head, you've probably at some point also been told the same thing by a doctor. I just don't think a random computer survey is enough to get people to change their habits.

I just spent all day arguing with the computer about what consistutues physical activity.

[Deleted]

Apr 11, 2011 9:19:43 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

I personally don't see how the survey helps the employees because if you have serious enough problems that the survey gives you a whack upside the head, you've probably at some point also been told the same thing by a doctor. I just don't think a random computer survey is enough to get people to change their habits.

I wouldn't trust people to be completely honest, either. If you spend your weekends getting drunk and smoking weed, are you really gonna answer questions about alcohol and drug use truthfully?

Among my employer's nitpicky initiatives to save money, they started charging us to use the fitness center- $10 every 2 weeks. I'd been using it only when I had things going on in the evening (and thus couldn't exercise after work) but after that I started using it every day. To me, it's counter-productive to charge extra for something beneficial. I'd rather see them juggle the prices in the vending machines so that whole-wheat pretzels cost about 1/5 the price of a pack of Zingers.

[Deleted]

Yep... it is Called a Wellness@Work program also. You get points for:
- eating fruit /vegetable
- losing weight
- not smoking
- being active
etc.

Also on the smoke thing, my jobs also charge $5/per paycheck so if you smoke it costs you an extra $260/year (We get paid every week) to get health insurance.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

If you spend your weekends getting drunk and smoking weed, are you really gonna answer questions about alcohol and drug use truthfully?

I probably wouldn't.

I'd be honest with my doctor because I know 100% that information isn't going anywhere.

But a survey brought to you by HR and the insurance agency?

[Wisconsin Beth]

Apr 11, 2011 8:39:43 GMT -5 april47 said:

I did not like my work's "wellness" program. It reduced your deductible on your insurance by $250. They called it "free" money. However, there were so many quizes (on computer) and so many checkoffs and requirements that to me it wasn't worth it.

My employer (local gov't) is doing something similar. If we do the wellness stuff, we DON'T get a hike in insurance premiums. If we don't, it does up $40 a month for a family (or $480) if I've got my math correct.

There's a long survey online; a blood draw and then a meeting to discuss the results of both with someone. And there's additional people we can meet with - like a nutritionist, etc. for free.

The meeting didn't tell me anything I didn't already know about my situation - I'm overtired and stressed out, mainly by having 2 toddlers and a husband with health issues he's dealing with, working full time and doing the majority of the cooking/laundry/child care.

I think the plan is to eventually use this data to "tier" the health insurance costs based on usage or expected usage but it's possible that I'm just a cynic about this...

[Wisconsin Beth]

Apr 11, 2011 9:59:53 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

If you spend your weekends getting drunk and smoking weed, are you really gonna answer questions about alcohol and drug use truthfully?

I probably wouldn't.

I'd be honest with my doctor because I know 100% that information isn't going anywhere.

But a survey brought to you by HR and the insurance agency?

Our HR and health insurance company aren't involved in this at all. It's a 3rd company. Supposedly only aggregate (I think that's word I want) information will be provided, with no names/identifying information included, just a breakdown into percentages about weight, smoking, etc.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I know it was anoymous and I don't have anything to hide so filling it out was a non-issues for me. Mine didn't even work (wouldn't go thru) so I didn't get the increased wellness benefits. Oh well, I wasn't taking another half hour out of my life to fill it out again.

But if I was someone abusing drugs and alcohol I would probably be reluctant to share that on a survey no matter how anoymous it claims to be. I doubt most people doing those things cheerfully share the information.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

At my job, we get $130 annually for completing a 'confidential' health assessment. The results are forwarded to another company which starts hounding you if they feel you need condition management.

My employer has one of these and after a little research, I discovered that they are not bound by HIPAA rules. That was enough to make me not do this and toss the literature into the trash.

[daisylu]

Apr 11, 2011 11:38:46 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

At my job, we get $130 annually for completing a 'confidential' health assessment. The results are forwarded to another company which starts hounding you if they feel you need condition management.

My employer has one of these and after a little research, I discovered that they are not bound by HIPAA rules. That was enough to make me not do this and toss the literature into the trash.

My employer charges a $250/month surcharge if we do not complete the Health Assessment. OUCH

[Anne_in_VA]

We have a Wellness At Work program which sounds an awful lot like Reader79's. We were told that it's anonymous, but I've heard the 3rd party company is not bound by confidentiality and HIPPA standards so I refused to do it.

[michelyn8]

My health insurance deduction is decreased by 10% for completing the online health assessment and another 10% if I have a physical, annual exam, or other health screening by the deadline each plan year. We used to get the full 20% for just the health assessment but they switched that up 2 years ago. So far I haven't had to deal with any third party mailings so its worth it to me to spend 10 minutes on a survey and the yearly Dr. visit is something I normally do anyway so as least now I'm kind of getting paid for it.

[8 Bit WWBG]

Perhaps its better to just enjoy that your interests and their interests align. Does doing a good thing for a bad reason make it a bad thing? I donated loads of very useful stuff to charities, but don't think for a moment I won't be taking that tax write off.

...:::"Who would lose the most over 3 months.":::...

Around here, people get together and do these contests informally. I will not participate until the challenge is "who can keep the weight off". There is a guy who always wins these contests because he gains weight before it starts, then eats nothing but boiled chicken breasts and runs around the track for 3 hours every night.

[azphx1972]

I hate the wellness program at my work. It's overly complicated, requires too much tracking, and doesn't provide enough monetary incentive for the amount of time invested. I'd much rather they just pay for a gym membership, or better yet put a gym or healthy cafeteria in our building to make it easier for us to make healthier choices.

[SVT]

It's a win-win. It might be better for the company financially but it also keeps the employees healthy(ier).

[Deleted]

Apr 12, 2011 5:23:56 GMT -5 Lady Gaga Gaga Snerd said:

Is there a point where your employer doesn't need to know your entire medical history? What about Hippa and privacy rights to your medical information?

Interesting questions. Any large employer has some skin in the game- their group policy will usually have a large deductible so the first $X,000 of costs are paid directly by the employer, and then the insurer picks up costs over that, but with some participation by the employer and with the premium varying according to the experience.

I was listening to an insurance industry podcasts yesterday as I was digging up dandelions form the front yard and the Risk Manager for a large corporation was talking about plans to use their captive insurance company (an insurance company owned by the employer, formed primarily to cover the employer's risks) to handle employee health insurance and get costs under control. He actually said, "We'll control treatments. We'll control blood pressure. We'll control wellness among our employees." I wonder how much of that they can do under current laws. Is my boss or the HR lady gonna tell me I have to stop putting salt on all my food 'cause my blood pressure is too high?

In the 1970s, most health insurance claims went through HR first. My ex-husband was seeing a psychiatrist at the time and HR actually asked him why his was so much more expensive than the psychs the executives were using. I don't want to go back to those days.