And if we catch you smoking you'll be charge $25

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Recently, our hopsital made insurance adjustments which included employees having to certify that they were non-smokers or be charge $25.00 a week extra for health insurance. They have also begun to charge any employee that catch smoking on any hospital property $25.00 for every time they are caught. I'm not a smoker, but this is really taking things kinda far. I still see patients and family members smoking on benches inspite of them putting up additional signs and taking sown smoking hutts. Anyone else have this going on by them? I hear the next move similar to this is gonna be for the over-weight employees. I might have to find a new job then.

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Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.

My hospital hands out a form that patients must sign when they are admitted. It states they are aware of the entire facility, including parking areas and sidewalks surrounding the hospital........are non-smoking.

First time someone is caught smoking, the police are called and they are cited. If they flip out and leave AMA, its documented that they left to smoke more. The insurances don't pay for anything, and their premiums go up cause now they know the pt. smokes. The fine they get when the police write them up is in the hundreds. I know of three patients who thought the nurses were just.......excuse the phrase.........."blowing smoke" when they were warned the facility was very harsh when dealing with smoking on the premises. They had to learn the hard way. More than a few workers have been fired or left to go elsewhere because of how diligently they have worked to eliminate smoking. There are zero hide aways for everyone that wants to be an exception to the rule.

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Specializes in home health, dialysis, others.

I worked at a facility that was non-smoking since it opened, in the 1940's. If you wanted good care, that was the place to go. No one ever left the floor for a quick break, just to smoke, and the patients and visitors were well aware that we were smoke free.

But I think that fining patients is over the top.

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Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.
I worked at a facility that was non-smoking since it opened, in the 1940's. If you wanted good care, that was the place to go. No one ever left the floor for a quick break, just to smoke, and the patients and visitors were well aware that we were smoke free.

But I think that fining patients is over the top.

I am happy to say, I quit smoking about 8 months ago. I did it at this facility. The only way to get a smoke break here was to go to your car and drive off the property completely out of sight. I've done it. I always went to a conveniece store, got lunch, came back (on break of course). I started to become uncomfortable with it and stopped. Then I realized going 12 hrs without smoking was making me a bit of a grouch. Now I quit.

My point: Going non-smoking didn't improve care here. People just leave for longer intervals of time, gone for 45 min. sometimes.

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Employees are being asked to comply with a hospital-wide policy. How does it reflect on the hospital to have its own employees defying a policy which obviously has proved difficult to implement? I honestly don't see a monetary fine as "over the top." If an employee takes issue with the policy, then why not take more appropriate channels to discuss their dissatisfaction? Continuing to smoke and being resistant to the change by violating policy seem highly inappropriate on the part of the employee (IMHO).

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Specializes in Health Information Management.

I can't speak to the fines, but the health insurance premium increase? That's not unusual, at least in my experience. The last three health insurance policies we've had (through two different employers) have had higher rates for those who are smokers. Our current plan has higher premiums if the either the employee or a plan dependent (like a spouse) is a smoker, and even higher premiums if both the employee and at least one plan dependent smoke. If you try to lie about being a non-smoker and are subsequently caught smoking, there's a fine built into the plan and your premiums are immediately switched to the higher rate. I'm really thankful I quit smoking almost ten years ago, and not just because my risk of lung cancer is decreasing!

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Specializes in Medsurg/ICU, Mental Health, Home Health.
Recently, our hopsital made insurance adjustments which included employees having to certify that they were non-smokers or be charge $25.00 a week extra for health insurance.

Forgive my density, but how does one certify that he or she is a non-smoker?

Once in a great while, I will light up (less than five times per year), usually when it's nice outside and I've had a few drinks with friends.

Does that mean that I have to pay extra on occasion, or what?

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Specializes in Health Information Management.
Forgive my density, but how does one certify that he or she is a non-smoker?

Once in a great while, I will light up (less than five times per year), usually when it's nice outside and I've had a few drinks with friends.

Does that mean that I have to pay extra on occasion, or what?

The way ours works is something of an honor system, but if anyone from HR or management sees you light up, they note that you're a smoker and your premiums are changed to reflect that if you aren't already paying smoker-level premiums. It doesn't matter if that's your first cigarette in 20 years or if you have a 2-pack-a-day habit. Some management people don't bother with it or are uncomfortable turning in their subordinates, but technically, that's the way it works. Also, medical records indicating you're a current smoker (you know, if you ID yourself as a smoker during a visit to a doctor) will eventually lead you to pay smoker's premiums, especially for any visits regarding respiratory ailments.

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Specializes in Emergency, ICU, PACU, Hospice.

Why not? You break the rules in a car and you get a fine...you are determined to be a liability to you're insurance company and your premiums go up. You break the rules in the hospital and you get a fine...you're determined to be liability to your insurance company and your premiums go up.

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Specializes in Public Health - Pediatrics.

I currently work for the state (only 2 more days-woo hoo!). Our insurance just went up for smokers. In order for your insurance rate to stay the same, you must be a non-smoker or have documentation from your physician that you are involved in a smoking cessation program. The insurance company will be requiring random urine tests for tobacco. I have no idea how accurate they are, but I certainly can't afford my insurance to go from 80/20 to 70/30. Of course, that was all supposed to go into effect this month. There was talk of postponing it. They will also be forcing all state employees whose BMI is above a certain number to drop down to the 70/30 plan within the next 2 years.

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Specializes in Long term care.

I'm sorry but I disagree with the whole employees are forbidden to smoke thing...I am a smoker and the smokers always get called out and fussed at for smoking. I look at it this way, we would get 2 15 min. breaks and a 30 min lunch and if we wanna smoke during our time then let us....a smoker that is denied a smoke break is sure to be ill.

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Specializes in Peds Homecare.

You need to read George Orwell's book, 1984. Big brother is watching you. What a bunch of nonsence,wonder how many selfrighteous nonsmokers are overweight? Everyone just keeps taking all this silliness, defending it, what will you do when the finger is pointed at you?:pntlft:

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