Friday's Today Show: Shape up or Pay up

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in Critical Care, Pediatrics, Geriatrics.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20212332/

By Mike Celizic

Packing a few extra pounds? Still smoking like a chimney, despite all the evidence it can kill you?

Well, if a new practice an Indiana company is putting in place catches on, one day soon your employer could demand you pay a price for your unhealthy lifestyle.

Like a growing number of companies, Clarian Health Partners has for a number of years had a program that rewards employees for getting healthy. But now, Clarian is telling its workers, it's time to shape up or pay up.

Wondering if anyone else saw this and what your thoughts were? How would you react if the hospital you worked for enforced this policy?

Where I work, we have a health and wellness incentive program where you can lower your premiums by participating in certain programs. However, it is not a punitive program. Therefore, if high cholesterol runs in your family then you are not docked for it on your paycheck.

Also, this seems like a huge invasion of privacy. Health records are supposed to be confidential, so what gives this company the right to conduct its own mandantory health screenings and then use that information to charge you money and dock your pay?

I guess there is a way around anything when you control the almighty dollar

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Specializes in LTC & Med-Surg, L&D, Pre-Op Clinic.

My aunt works at a hospital in Indianapolis that is requires hospital personnel to be more "healthy".

They have two years to shape up.

She is actually okay with it. She has let herself go (she said so herself), and now she has a reason to get back into shape!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

I'm seriously on the fence about this.

On the one hand as a healthy person I've used the health care system very little and am not on medications, yet pay the same premiums as a person whose lifestyle has them on many medications and ill health,

However, my blood pressure is borderline and I'm trying lifestyle to keep it under control, but if it gets to a point where it become sustained hypertention I'm going to resent paying a higher premium.

I have the concerns of the person wondering where the line is going to be cross and privacy issues. Today it's weight, smoking, blood pressure and cholesterol and tomorrow it's someone with cancer or AIDS.

What about inherited problems. I know a guy who is a vegan, normal weight guy who exercises vigorously with cholesterol in the 400s.

I say continue with the incentives and don't be punitive.

Insurance companies have long had access to health records, so it's not an invasion of privacy on their part.

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Specializes in LTC.

I'm all for price breaks for those who have healthy life style choices such as non-smokers or price breaks on gym memberships and other health/nutritional programs through health insurance. When it comes to obesity, high blood pressure, and all those other unhealthy expensive condition I'm not for it. Who is going to distinguish if the condition is caused by genetics or lifestyle? Where are they going to draw the line?

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Specializes in ER/Trauma.

This is exactly the reason I was so adamant against forcing smokers to pay extra. I am not a smoker, but getting away with allowing corporations to charge more has allowed them to branch into this. I agree with Tweety...where will is stop? God forbid someday we have to pay extra because I have red hair and somewhere there is a study that says redheads are more difficult to control pain on.

There are those that have genetic predispositions for conditions. Diabetes runs in my family. I am working like hell to avoid it, but according to my endo, my chances are slim for avoiding it. Should I pay more because of it?

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i agree with tweety, incentives are better than punitivess

i saw part of this program and it is not really fair:

the day after a person who quits smoking or alcohol they are an ex-smoker or a recovering alcoholic, but a person who is classified as obese will take years to lose it safely

and taking pay from the poor will leave them with even less money to grocery shop wisely

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That's scary to me. I have lipedema (not lymphedema), so I will ALWAYS carry excess weight in my lower body and my upper arms. When I lose weight, I lose only in my upper body...diets don't affect my lower body. It's incurable, and not something that can be controlled with medicine or diet...I can only attempt to keep it from getting worse. Where would this leave me? I have a feeling this will be challenged in a courtroom.

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I know this is going to draw some ire here but honestly am I the only one who feels all this get healthy or else business smacks of Aeon Flux and Gattaca? I find the current climate politically and in healthcare to be disturbing. We are all too quick to had over liberties and choices.. Yes there should be discounts if you are fit you are not likely to need the health coverage you pay of as much - I wish they would discount like good drivers - It used to be when you had a fender bender you paid to fix the other guys car, you made it right.. No thanks to big insurance it's a law suit and no one feels they are responsible for anything, Now big med is doing the same thing, they are going to regulate our Friday pizza's and such - its just gotta stop.

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Specializes in ED, ICU, PSYCH, PP, CEN.

It just so happens that there are studies out there that show redheads are more sensitive to the environment, have a larger propensity for allergies and assorted health problems. ANd I just finished reading a very involved study that showed that left handed people have more health problems and mental health problems and a decreased life span, so we are well on our way to Gattica. Although I am in my fifties and have always been very healthy I think I must be totally screwed because I am a left handed redhead.

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Specializes in ER/EHR Trainer.

I am not sure who will be left to work in my hospital! I would say about 70% of our employees are overweight-30-50% of those are obese! We have a McDonalds, coffee shop with junk food, gift shop with tons of candy, and of course our cafeteria(which actually offers healthy choices and good food). Our jobs do not encourage healthy eating, it's eat when you can and quickly!

I am not sure how you can create an environment of health through punitive measures. I suppose if Indiana has only that one employer in health care, then employees are screwed! If we are going to have a system in which we are told what to do, then I would suggest that like those pictures we've seen of Japanese companies-extend the work day-mandatory walks by staff everyday they work, gyms on site, regulated "real" breaks with healthy choices and fluids available, counseling sessions, weight watchers, meditation, and others.

I am all for being the best you can be-people have to be willing to change. What people don't understand is that smoking, drugs,and even drinking is usually initiated when you are older. They are habits that become addictions-habits can be broken. I believe weight is alot more than that. Food issues start within families, and are lifelong learned behaviours. That takes alot more than pushing away from a table. Also, while physicians, and nurses may be able to afford a gym-what about all of our ancillary staff? If you have to feed your family, work OT, or pay bills-working out may not be your priority.

Just my Opinion,

Maisy;)

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I agree w/ others who think health promotion is a great thing BUT the punitive attitude is absurd. The CEO was on Today. He said the facilities are tired of absorbing the costs for employee's bad habits, etc., etc., etc. Too bad! As one of the commentators they had on pointed out, hospitals often create a very stressful environment where the employees do things like smoke or eat poorly due to job stress. I'd like to see what the facilities involved are doing to create a healthy work atmosphere. It does no good to have onsite exercise if the staff do not have access to it or work OT and must choose whether to work out or go home to the kids at a reasonable hour. The CEO's attitude miffed me. How awful for the facility to put out money due to those naughty employees. Better sell would be, we are interested in healthy communnities and we are trying to assure we are bringing good health to our own employees. The punitive concept is just this very superior attitude admin. often conveys re. how they will "force" lowly empoyees to behave. Great to have the facilities. They need to be accessible. Incentives to attend are fine, but I don't think are needed. The punitive attitude is a real turn off.

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so, higher insurance premiums for smokers and the overweight? higher premiums for behavior or genetics?

what about two of the most expensive diseases to treat -- renal failure and AIDS?

10% of americans use up 90% of the healthcare resources in the U.S. what should we do with them?

the problem is more complex than just smoking and obesity. there is so much unnecessary costs, administrative fees, etc. in our healthcare system. the REAL answer is UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE.

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