What is your View??

There has been a lot in the news latley about people with smaller BMI's getting better benefits; such as whole foods giving their employee's with smaller bmi's a bigger discount than those with larger bmi's. . I would love to hear what others are thinking. I am honeslty not sure how I really feel about it right now though I think I am leaning towards agreeing with it.

If it would take out the morbidity clause (where nothing obesity related is thrown out) I don't see a problem with it.  There are so many that would be happy to pay a higher premium if they were just allowed to have the surgery.  I already know about the companies that are charging more for the employees that smoke.  I think that should be considered as well but you know, the thing is you could drink yourself into oblivion every night and there would be no way to measure that so it's all kinda fuzzy isn't it?  I do not think it would be fair to charge them more if they don't cover the surgery though.

Ditto...I like me nonsmoker discount ....I dont know if they cover pharmasuetical help to quit smoking but that would seem fair...and the same for WLS and BMI discount...pay for helping one year and let the individual earn a discount the next year....win win!!

One of my previous employers sponsored smoking cessation classes and also had regular T.O.P.S. (take off pounds sensibly) meetings held in their auditorium.  These programs can definitely help with improving the overall health of their employees.

It would be nice if there was some kind of incentive to participate and for those who successfully complete... either quitting smoking or losing weight.

This particular employee also had a nice incentive program for work attendance. If you were able to work without any call-ins for a 3-month period you would be issued a small bonus check. If I remember correctly the checks were issued every 6 months. Plus sick time accrued from year to year.

another feature was benefit sharing. if someone was out on disability past what time they had accrued... others could donate days to help them.  These things may sound like they would cost an employer $$$.
however, the improved moral... makes happy/healthier employees... less turnover and actually helps costs go DOWN!!!

The key is not feeling penalized for smoking or being obese.... but realize that these offerings are to assist in improving ones overall health!  Start to DO something! Getting well doesn't just improve ability to work more efficiently it makes happier home life as well.

I think it's generally a good idea to have BOTH a carrot and a stick. 

If you're gonna penalize someone for smoking, offer them a way out.

If you're gonna penalize someone for being fat, offer them a way out.

Otherwise, how fair is it?  Particularly when you KNOW how hard it is to change either of these situations............. 

Makes me sad.

Well said Kathy, well said!

--Danelle

Exactly what I meant to say. If you charge more for premiums for a larger BMI, offer surgery.  The guy I know that was going to have premiums raised for smoking was also offered a program of some type.

Something this made me think of was when I worked in a photo lab and let's just say that often times there are employees at some photo labs that um....partake of smoking weed.  I came in as manager and tripled the revenue in 3 years and was getting too powerful and being a woman that was a problem.  They hired this guy that I called the "hired gun" and he was a MEAN MEAN raging alcoholic.  He was sooooooooooo mean.  I of course was such a wimp and mothered these employees like they were my children and one time he made me fire a guy over nothing and I started to cry.  He screamed at me "Manager don't cry!!!"  That made me cry more of course and actually if I didn't cry at least 3 times a week, it was a slow week.  One day he gets it in his head that he wants to do drug tests on the printers.  (these people didn't operate any heavy machinery that would hurt anyone).  Some of the best printers we had would have tested positive because of weekend recreational use.  They didn't come to work stoned.  Anyway he decided he was going to do this and it was the one time that I got my muster up and said that it didn't seem fair to me that people that did an excellent job that were possibly using on the weekend could be fired but that others that got drunk off their butts every night would not be penalized.  I also knew the reason we were able to hire this previously high dollar employed corporate guy was because he had 2 DWI's.  I think between that comment and the fact that his testing would change the revenue of the company drastically...well he finally backed off.  I know that some of you may be very strict about the illegal aspect of this but he was sooooo MEAN and was doing to hurt people.  We had a turn over rate of 200% there.  Horrible nasty people that I felt like I had to work for because I was obese.  Boy am I grateful that I don't have to face those nasty people every day anymore!  WOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOO