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

[Manatee111]

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.

[zofran]

Do they also fine for other violations of the employee handbook, like dress code infractions? Or a 10$ per fingernail for acrylics? Maybe they should also fine for bad teeth. It really gives an unprofessional look to have bad teeth. Maybe the smokers at this place need to get together and get a lawyer....smoking is an addiction, and is also legal. Maybe the smokers can keep records on who eats junk food and give them tickets.

If I could I would give you ONE MILLION Kudos!!!!! Why only smokers? There are rule breakers all over the hospital. What about people with drinks at the nurses station?

Just wait. Nurses with CHF, DM, HTN, Asthma, high BMI, etc are next. You "bad" CHF person!!! You ended up in the hospital because you drank an extra liter of fluid! We are not going to pay your bill because it is your fault!

And yeah, where is this 25 dollars going???? I bet it will go to managements "long lunch" fund, or to redecorate their damn offices. I would QUIT this job. And yeah, I smoke too.

[Mulan]

This is MUCH more loose in the rules than mine. Caught smoking on campus is suspension, second offense termination. My husband's insurance charges that $25 per pay or something comparable for smokers.

The hospital gets cheaper insurance rates for all the employees that way. The "high risk" pay more. As a smoker, I"ll happily pay it and not complain.... but others be wary. This will move to measuring your BMI, we already do high risk mandatory cholesterol screens... (might cost you more $$ next year)... Are you diabetic... now you have to have blood drawn for your A1C (glycohemoglobin).

Now I've been HTN since 18, but well controlled through diet, meds and exercise... despite a good BP check will my rates raise... I"m betting in a few years they will...

and before I'm off my soap box... genetic testing is next. The insurance company will charge you more for diseases you are high risk for in the future but don't have now. I've hope I've upset you with the possibilities enough to make calls to legislature, congress, senate.. and get out and vote. Don't just be angry, make the change happen, what ever your political beliefs are. This is coming and it is the new wave of insurance, don't be fooled into thinking it will never affect you.!

Where in the world do you work? It seems like you get suspended for everything under the sun!

What part of the country are you in?

Do you work for one of the big health corporations?

[Rabid Response]

Smoking, obesity, alcohol and drug abuse are all modifiable risks factors for any number of debilitating diseases. I have NO problem with people paying more money based on their unhealthy lifestyle choices. As consumers of healthcare, we expect/demand that our healthcare providers utilize every resource to keep us healthy and to heal us when we are not; we should at least do OUR part to work toward better health.

Additionally, the smell of cigarettes on hospital employees is disgusting to patients and co-workers alike. Smokers don't notice because their nostrils are dead to it. They pop a breath mint and think they've dealt with the issue, but my stomach roils at the aroma of mint and ashtray combined or, worse yet, strong perfume sprayed over tobacco stench. The elevators stink. The stairwells stink. Every area that smokers travel through after they smoke STINKS. Smokers will rail about their rights, but I do think that the rest of us should have the right not to feel nauseated at work.:barf01:

*Hopping down now*:spbox:

[rosey2007]

Since they started to hurt the smokers I keep thinking what are they going to do next. Are they going to close down all the fast food restaurants because they are known to make you fat. Maybe the government will start to tax the fast food restaurants like they do smokes. Could you imagine paying $10.00 for an order of french fries ?

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

You can be obese and still exercise plenty and eat healthy. So should they still be penalized? I'll say it again - where does it end?

How about if they could test you to see if you had eaten anything over 30% of cals from fat in the last 90 days? Then they could charge you for that too...........

Or maybe they could have a saturated fat food scanner at all doorways and an alarm could go off and security could nab you and fine you and eventually fire you........:smokin::smokin:

[whichone'spink, BSN, RN]

When I was in school, I hated PE and having to run the required time for the mile or do a certain number of push ups, just to meet the state's requirements. It turned me off to working out forever. I don't want to be forced to do anything I don't want to do. Now if they allow 1 hour of riding the bike alone to count as required exercise time, that's fine. Just don't make me run in under 6:00 minutes.

[dinah77, ADN]

You can be obese and still exercise plenty and eat healthy. So should they still be penalized? I'll say it again - where does it end?

How about if they could test you to see if you had eaten anything over 30% of cals from fat in the last 90 days? Then they could charge you for that too...........

Or maybe they could have a saturated fat food scanner at all doorways and an alarm could go off and security could nab you and fine you and eventually fire you........:smokin::smokin:

Does anyone else find claims that there all of these obese people running around who eat well and regulalry exercise dubious?

Where are they?

Define obese; could your BMI be in the overweight category if you are muscular from working out? yup, cuz it is judged soley on weight and height- but obese? I'm just not buying it..

Short of having a thyroid imbalance ior another genuine medical condition that would make you obese despite your diet and activity level , I don't think it exists-

I have yet to meet the obese person who eats really well ( i.e no fast food/soda, limited booze) exercises at least 30 mins of cardio a day and is somehow physically incapable of shedding the excess weight

[Nicole Anderson]

In my state, they have actually passed a law making all health care facilities (and also restaurants, bowling alleys, and other businesses) smoke-free. If ANYONE is caught smoking, the facility is fined. So, I would understand if my employer would fine the employee, as that employee could be causing the facility to be fined, which I'm sure is way more than $25. The only people allowed to smoke are the residents because technically this is their home, but for the health of the other residents they have to smoke outside.

[morphed]

Why only smokers? There are rule breakers all over the hospital. What about people with drinks at the nurses station?

Because drinks at the nurses station don't raise insurance premiums for everyone and it doesn't raise costs for the hospital. I guess you could say you might spill the drink and someone might fall and therefore cost the hospital. However, you can safely drink at the nurses station without being a liability. I think we can all agree though that you can't safely smoke without being a liability.

[Fribblet]

Does anyone else find claims that there all of these obese people running around who eat well and regulalry exercise dubious?

Where are they?

Define obese; could your BMI be in the overweight category if you are muscular from working out? yup, cuz it is judged soley on weight and height- but obese? I'm just not buying it..

Short of having a thyroid imbalance ior another genuine medical condition that would make you obese despite your diet and activity level , I don't think it exists-

I have yet to meet the obese person who eats really well ( i.e no fast food/soda, limited booze) exercises at least 30 mins of cardio a day and is somehow physically incapable of shedding the excess weight

There are people who do eat right, exercise and are still obese. Lab tests are all within normal limits, stress tests show they have no cardiac issues. These people are very few and far between, but they are evidence that bodies come in all shapes and sizes naturally.

Not everyone will be a skinny minny, but obesity is still, by and large, related to poor dietary choices and a sedentary lifestyle. (And before I get flamed: I know there are health issues that make losing weight difficult, but they don't make it impossible. )

That being said, I think BMI is a very poor clinical measurement. A body builder's BMI will fall into the obese category.

[morphed]

I don't think fast food or food in general is comparable to smoking for this argument. You can have a burger and fries once in a while and it won't affect you. It's just not the same with smoking. I would even say you could smoke marijuana once in a while without it being detrimental.

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

"I have yet to meet the obese person who eats really well ( i.e no fast food/soda, limited booze) exercises at least 30 mins of cardio a day and is somehow physically incapable of shedding the excess weight"

Hey Dina 77,

You have now. I am not obese currently, but only because I restrict my calories severely and work out 60 to 90 minutes a day.

When I was obese I still did 30 - 60 min day, and I haven't eaten fast food or any of the junk food in almost 20 years.

You need to realize that you are very lucky that you can hold that erroneous belief of yours. There are plenty of fatties that live healthfully though they may eat to much healthy food.

Do you eat healthy and exercise often? If not it doesn't matter how skinny you are and do not believe you will always have such an easy time of it. Even if you NEVER had a weight problem in your life menopause will bring a whole new challenge to your life.

The point though of this whole thing is whether it is smoking, weight, diet, and/or exercise or any other less than beneficial to your health matter at what point is employer/insurer/government just becoming way too intrusive? I think we are getting closer and closer to that cliff.