Will employers solve the obesity epidemic?
Federal rules went into effect in July to allow companies to pressure workers to lead healthier lifestyles, as we discuss in "A new solution to the obesity epidemic?" One employer has cut health insurance co-pays for workers who follow healthier lifestyles. Another is penalizing those who smoke by making them pay more toward their health insurance. It plans to extend financial penalties to those who exhibit problems such as high blood glucose by 2009. Is this fair? And will it help the nation's obesity crisis? Post your thoughts here.
From Linda Cincinnati OH If an employer can chage you for being overweight or smoking ect they should have to provide a health plan that covers treatment for these same disorders.
From Elise, Boston, MA I weigh 110 lbs yet I am type 2 diabetic. When I was diagnosed 10 years ago, I weighed 105 lbs. For some reason I have the gene for type 2 diabetes. No one seems to know why, but should I be penalized for having diabetes? Charging people more for being overweight is just the beginning! Will they have the right to test us to see if we are eating too much fat? not enough vegetables? My neighbor was a marathon runner and as you would expect, expremely thin, yet he died of a massive coronary without any warning. Thin people are not as immune as touted. This is just another way for corporations to try to reduce their health care costs!
From Richard, Basin. Wyoming I don't think that there is any problem with this idea. If an individual was to go out and get insurance for themselves they would find that most insurance companies would charge you more just for being overweight or a smoker or many other reasons. I think that it is only fair that the companies pay a base rate for all employees and if you choose to allow yourself into a higher risk category then you should be required to pay.
From Phases, Nashville Tn I think it's great. Will it help? Probably not. Will it hurt? Most certainly not.
From Dan Dempsey, Minneapolis, MN It seems to me that the majority of people posting here are thin. Losing weight is not a simple or easy thing. And sometimes there are medical reasons that a person can not lose weight. Cutting into a persons wages will not fix the problem. If you want to lower health insurance costs then what needs to be done is all companies offering health insurance must be converted to non-profit organizations. as it stands right now the interestes of those running the insurance company are directly opposite of those who need the insurance. Our country needs to quit being run by the corporations and our legislators need to get back to representing the people.
From Jared Driesen, Alcester SD This is a wonderful change!!! Employers and society should not bear the weight/burden of folks who choose to ruin their health with poor dietary habits and smoking.
I also feel that a lot of thought and care will need to accompany the use of this new tools so that it will not be abuse by employers.
This is the answer to a large share of our current medical situation in this country.
From Yadgyu, Harkeyville, TX "Correcting faulty body mechanics is the best kept weight loss secret."
What a lie. The reason that people are fat is because they consume more calories than they burn. Why make these excuses for people's inability to control themselves?
From Luis DelaGarza It is fair in most cases. If I take care of myself (weight), something that takes effort and perseverance, I am not willing to pay for somebody's laziness
It is a matter of self responsibility.
It will put some monetary pressure and hopefully will help to curb down the obesity epidemic, for the sake of a healthy America.
From Diane Whitacre, Anatomist, San Francisco CA Correcting faulty body mechanics is the best kept weight loss secret. When the body is in postural collapse and abdominal compression two things happen, first the digestive tract is compromised and, second, the body adds postural pounds, usually in the lower torso and thighs that act as ballast to keep itself upright much like a blow-up doll with the sand base that you cannot knock over. Those are the pounds you cannot lose no matter how much you diet and exercise. When body mechanics are corrected, they are no longer necessary and go away on their own.
From Ben Lefroy, UK I cannot believe I have just read that. I would definitely leave any company that tried to dictate to me how I should conduct myself outside of office hours. This is pure discrimination. And if you are wondering I do not smoke, I am not overweight and I don't have high blood sugar levels, but if I wanted to it has nothing to do with my employer.
From echo, chicago, il oh… no… I can just hear people cry discrimination right now.
I think this is a great idea… Why should I pay for people choose to smoke, and be fat?
People who have bad driving records pay more for their car insurance. This is the same thing, people should pay more for their bad habit.
I am not saying this will cure America's obesity problem. We also have to define healthy habits. Smoking, Drinking are obviously bad, but what about eating habits? how do define bad? That is for the health experts to figure out.
The solution has been there all along — eat right (serving size from all 5 food groups) and exercising 1 hour at least 5 times a week.