CVS to weigh workers
 

Employee wellness programs are a great idea. This should encourage employees to slim down instead of over-indulging on Twinkies and cream soda.

A few yrs before I retired from the scool system, the health insurance had a $50.00 monthly surcharge in the premium for smokers and another 50.00 if your spouse could be covered elsewhere but chose the board of ed health ins.
Insurance will get harder and harder as time goes on, privacy seems to be a thing of the past, and what are we to do?
I do agree with the smoking surcharge but the weight seems a bit too much.
Weight can be thyroid issues, heredity, side effects of medication, etc
And so very few are at an ideal weight...plus the workforce average age increases w people living longer. On the other hand, encouraging people to be healthy is good but in this economy, $600/ yr is a lot of dough.

Good for CVS, more employers should do the same, obesity cost the health care system millions in return our insurance rates are higher.

buggyone my husband would agree with you
 

I would have preferred giving healthy employees incentive. Probably should be an option to participate, this is America, Right?, those that are living a healthy lifestyle with good results, should be given a decreased healthcare rate.

The difference between smoking and obesity is that one is a lifestyle choice (smoking) and the other (obesity) has a strong genetic component. While it's fair for an employer to encourage that the chronically obese seek treatment for the side effects of their condition (diabetes - high blood pressure) and try to make lifestyle choices that help mitigate their genetic tenancy - the only established "cure" that works close to 100% over a 5 to 10 year period is bariatric surgery (typically - a gastric bypass). Blaming obese folks for being obese is like blaming black folks for being black...genes are genes. The Nazi's tried to eliminate those with an "undesirable" genetic heritage...I would like to think we have progressed from that point of view.

That's NOT progress!!! That's a result of the new Affordable Healthcare Law!!

:agree:

I agree as well...a fine argument for moving to a single-payer system like the French have...but, oops, we have moved into politics and the last 3 comments (including this one) will (rightfully) be found off topic.

we should be able to discuss the new "affordable health care act" that is current events , correct?? We are not mentioning any politicians, names, parties, etc.. just FACTS of what is going on.

:agree: Plus weight by it's self doesn't tell you much. Body fat % along with several other measures are better indications. You can be 6ft tall and weight 200 lbs with 6% body fat or you could be 6ft tall and weight 200 lbs 30% body fat same height, same weight over all health based just on weight / BMI totally different

A strong genetic component should not give license to eat everything you desire (or stuff your face as a previous poster had suggested) not any more than a family history of alcoholism should allow you to drink anything you want "because it is inevitable". I'd be a rich woman if I had $10 for every patient that told me "I'm a diabetic cuz my family was or I have high blood pressure because my family all have it". It is because they are too fat or overweight. I have ALL those problems in my genetics and I try to keep myself in decent shape and weight. NO EXCUSES.
As far a CVS, what do you think the company looses in lost revenues from these weight related health problems? Think about it - if you owned a business and had the choice of hiring someone overweight (who has all sort of potential health problems) or one of average weight who is less likely to need time off or incur lots of medical expenses - which would you hire? Time is money when you own a business. How do you deal with absences due to poor health. Who takes their place? Does production stop? Businesses are so lean these days that there are not extra bodies to take over someone else's job. BESIDES THE FACT THAT PEOPLE WON'T BE A HEALTHY WEIGHT UNLESS THEY HAVE TO. And thats a fact. Whether its me who keeps trim because of a "genetic predisposition" or the person who needs a job and can't keep one because they are too overweight.....it comes to the same conclusion........don't be fat or overweight.

Suzi - if only it were that easy everyone would be thin - which doesn't necessarily equate to healthy. Focus should be on a healthy lifestyle - plenty of people can carry extra weight and still be healthy. Too big an issue to generalize -" just don't be fat."

The fines that will be imposed on employers under the Affordable Care Act do not take effect until 2014, when the ACA takes effect.

When I was employed by a large corporation for 25 plus years, we were required to maintain a certain weight or lose our job. We were weighed periodically and got time off without pay to lose weight or be terminated.

These rules resulted in many court cases, but the courts always ruled in the company's favor. This goes back to the 1960-1990's. More companies should impose these rules today.

Oh, Please, Not The Smokers Again!
 

Forbes article today: Obesity Now Costs Americans More In HealthCare Spending Than Smoking

A few points from the article:

Quote {Reuters is reporting that obesity in America is now adding an astounding $190 billion to the annual national healthcare price tag, exceeding smoking as public health enemy number one when it comes to cost.

How serious is the problem? Obesity has risen a full 34% since 1960 while morbid obesity is up sixfold.

Making the cost impact all the more troubling is the fact that, unlike smokers, obese people tend to live almost as long as those who keep their weight under control. ”Smokers die early enough that they save Social Security, private pensions, and Medicare” trillions of dollars”, said Duke’s Eric Finkelstein. “But mortality isn’t that much higher among the obese.”Unquote

Hmmm.. seems like all of us alive today are from the same gene pool that existed in the 1960's. JMHO.

Obesity Now Costs Americans More In HealthCare Spending Than Smoking - Forbes

Don't forget to bleach that little brush mustache - it's so disquieting.

Yes and in the 60's many more people smoked so maybe that accounts for obesity issues of today? everybody should light up and lose weight.

Last night on NBC news they said that the cost was in the Billions. I don't remember but it was a lot of billions.

hadn't had one in years, but been jonesing for a Twinkie ever since Hostess went belly up.

thanks for bringing them to my attention....again. :mmmm:

I guess I must be a little dense......what does that mean?

:p Well, I guess that wouldn't be a very popular idea.....however divorce is always a great diet...just sayin'. :22yikes:

Some obesity is lifestyle related; but many folks dealing with morbid obesity eat no differently than their thinner friends. Without knowing the causes of an individual's obesity - blaming, punishing, mocking is at best ignorant and in extreme, similar to the anti-semitic/anti-gypsy attitudes of many Germans in the 1930's. One Austrian/German came up with a "final solution" to rid Europe of these genetic inferiors. He had a brush mustache.

This is a personal issue for me as I come from a chronically obese family that's also Jewish. We experienced far more prejudice due to size than heritage.

It wasn't lifestyle..my thin spouse ate more than me and my two half-brothers (who were raised in a different home) also had the curse.

Of all of us, I opted for surgery (which is not an "easy" option - unless feeling sick after each meal sounds fun and the possibility of immediate defecation is your cup of tea). Still, the surgery works and I am down 150 lbs and still losing.

Still, it is hard to forget the taunts growing up and the rude comments directed at me while with my family.

Prejudice is prejudice. Frankly, now less obese, I take more offense to it as it is no longer my shame. It's like hearing someone cry out, "******." It is offensive and needs to be called out.

Geewiz - congratulations on a job well done - sorry for the pain others have inflicted. The intolerance of so many on this forum is very unfortunate and I always try to remember that "there but for the grace of God go I". None of us are perfect, no one would rather be miserable that not, but sometimes it just doesn't work out for everyone. So can't we be somewhat more compassionate and less judgemental of our fellow man?

Great Post
 

Great post and glad you are doing well as my niece had the same surgery and is also doing well. I totally agree that in a lot of cases it does amount to prejudice and the folks that struggle with it are suffering enough already without being the focus of the entire country and especially those so self-righteous that are condemning them. We don't blame cancer patients for getting cancer and scorn them nor those that get early onset Alzheimers in their 30-40s and we should not blame those that struggle with weight issues. We can say lifestyle is the reason for any illness or problem and scorn those that are unfortunate enought to experience a problem, but wait until they start firing people of a certain age, not that they don't now, just because they can hire younger, leaner, people to replace them that are a lot further away from being in the age bracket where health issues start happening. Unfortuntely we all age no matter how well we take care of ourselves and age will bring health issues never experienced before no matter what we do.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gary-w..._b_734226.html

The article says CVS workers must report weight, glucose levels and body fat to the insurer or pay a fine. It does not say they pay a penalty for higher weight, etc. Private insurance often does require a physical exam as well. I'm not saying it is a good or bad idea...only that CVS is not collecting the info; the insurer is.

You are correct, and it is the insurer that is charging the extra $600 per year.

On what do you base that conclusion?
It's not mentioned in the original article presented to us.
If you have specific info to support your statement, please cite source.

Luckily our supply of Hostess.....
................TWINKIES ...HO-HO's ...DING DONGS and CUP CAKES...
.................................................. ..should be available again by fall.
C. Dean Metropoulos and his sons Daren and Evan (Metropoulos & Co.)
have partnered with Apollo Global Mgt. (Leon Black) to purchase the Old "Hostess" money machine.

great post and great job with your health! your surgical procedure required more of a lifestyle adjustment that most anyone here realizes! sorry you had to bear the slings and arrows from the ignorant; and thanx for calling them out for it...prejudice is prejudice!

.......I will relay your deep thinking approach to my dear friend Dave ....
...................his ultra thin daughter died of Juvenile Diabetes at eleven.

[QUOTE=KeepingItReal;646286]Great post and glad you are doing well as my niece had the same surgery and is also doing well. I totally agree that in a lot of cases it does amount to prejudice and the folks that struggle with it are suffering enough already without being the focus of the entire country and especially those so self-righteous that are condemning them. We don't blame cancer patients for getting cancer and scorn them nor those that get early onset Alzheimers in their 30-40s and we should not blame those that struggle with weight issues. We can say lifestyle is the reason for any illness or problem and scorn those that are unfortunate enought to experience a problem, but wait until they start firing people of a certain age, not that they don't now, just because they can hire younger, leaner, people to replace them that are a lot further away from being in the age bracket where health issues start happening. Unfortuntely we all age no matter how well we take care of ourselves and age will bring health issues never experienced before no matter what we do."END of QUOTE.

Your post is excellent and very compassionate and very fair and very thought provoking...

It gets my best post of the entire day award. Since Swimdawg has somehow left the building and doesn't award her awards anymore.

:agree:

Good for CVS! I love it.

The poster can't cite a source since the Affordable Care Act hasn't started yet and doesn't start until 2014. The exchanges haven't even been made available at this time.

Cvs
 

cvs is requiring workers who use company health insurance to report their weight, and body fat and glucose levels to the insurer - or pay a $600 a year penalty.
If workers don't sign up, their medical coverage will jump by $50 a month.

CVS spokesperson Michael D'angelis said this will help manage health associated costs.

Patient Privacy Rights founder Dr. Deborah Peet added that mounting health care costs have made these polices increasingly popular.

Rising health care costs are killing the economy and businesses are terrified. Employers are desperate to get rid of workers who have costly health conditions , like obesity and diabetes. More people will lose their jobs as the "affordable healthcare" kicks in and businesses are just starting to brace for what is to come. You don't think "out of the blue" "all of a sudden" a drugstore is concerned with your weight?? We're not talking a weight loss business here keeping track of their employees.

Heartnsoul. That is a very logical explanation.

I sorry I was off on the facts and please note the lost in productivity by employees. In 2011 the total economic cost of overweight and obesity in the United States is $270 billion per year while the cost in Canada is about $30 billion a year, a new study shows. The $300 billion total cost in the United States and Canada is the result of: increased need for medical care ($127 billion); loss of worker productivity due to higher rates of death ($49 billion); loss of productivity due to disability of active workers ($43 billion); and loss of productivity due to total disability ($72 billion), said the Society of Actuaries (SOA). An SOA online survey of 1,000 adults found that 83% would be willing to follow a healthy lifestyle program if they received incentives from their health insurance plan.

Another Sobering Fact
 

Not sure what value they put on lives lost to being hit by drunk drivers but we all pay these costs as well.

CDC: Alcohol Abuse Costs U.S. $224 Billion a Year Does not include Canada.

By Maggie Fox
Updated:
October 17, 2011 | 2:13 p.m.

People who drink too much cost the U.S. economy $223.5 billion a year, and governments pay more than 60 percent of their health care costs, federal health experts reported on Monday.
Alcohol abuse kills 79,000 people a year, the report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found.
Most of the costs came from binge drinking, which the CDC defines as four or more drinks per occasion for a woman, and five or more drinks per occasion for a man.
“It is striking that over three-quarters of the cost of excessive alcohol consumption is due to binge drinking, which is reported by about 15 percent of U.S. adults,” the CDC’s Dr. Robert Brewer said in a statement. “Fortunately, there are a number of effective public health strategies that communities can use to reduce binge drinking and related harms, such as increasing the price of alcohol and reducing alcohol outlet density.”
Writing in the November 2011 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, the CDC team, working with the consultant firm The Lewin Group, said they analyzed national data from several national studies to report on the costs of alcohol overuse in 2006, the latest year for which complete data was available.
They found most of the costs—72 percent—came from lost workplace productivity. Another 11 percent came from direct health costs, 9 percent could be attributed to law enforcement expenses, and 6 percent to costs from motor vehicle accidents.



Tobacco-Related Monetary Costs in the USA
Total annual public and private health care expenditures caused by smoking: $96 billion
-Annual Federal and state government smoking-caused Medicaid payments: $30.9 billion
[Federal share: $17.6 billion per year. States’ share: $13.3 billion]
-Federal government smoking-caused Medicare expenditures each year: $27.4 billion
-Other federal government tobacco-caused health care costs (e.g. through VA health care): $9.6 billion
• Annual health care expenditures solely from secondhand smoke exposure: $4.98 billion

We have friends who live in Germany and I can vouch for the fact that what happens when a country has socialized medicine compared to what those of us who have worked and positioned ourselves and paid for good private health insurance all these years are used too, to me anyway is frightening.

I personally know a woman who was diagnosed with breast cancer who lived in The Netherlands and she had to wait for treatment...for some time. I can't remember just how long. Sweetie stayed with the company he worked for for fifty years partially because one of the benefits was good insurance.

Now all things are being thrown up in the air. I know it sounds like me, me, and us, us, but we planned on being protected by this insurance that has always done so and I am confused and worried and want to point fingers at someone.

I am terribly sorry moderators, I am afraid what I just typed is political.

Sure sounds like thousands, maybe millions more will lose their jobs if the requirement is now to be a certain weight. If a cashier who is 200 lbs can stand behind the register at CVS for 7 hrs, then she should be able to. Let's not judge people by their weight but by their ability to perform their job. Imagine all those who will be let go if "weight" comes into the equation. Of course more jobs will be lost as businesses are required to cut their staff to under 50 employees so they don't have to offer coverage. And we wonder why small businesses aren't opening. And our kids, who are barely making it, will be penalized if they CAN'T afford to buy insurance. Its going to be interesting watching the new "affordable healthcare" come into play now. CVS will be the first of many more to come as businesses get frightened about how to even stay afloat.