N.C. to penalize overweight, smoking state workers

[Are_grits_groceries]

RALEIGH -- North Carolina is poised to become only the second state to penalize state employees by placing them in a more expensive health insurance plan if they're obese.

Smokers will feel the drag of higher costs, too, as North Carolina and South Carolina state employees who use tobacco are slated to pay more for health insurance next year.

N.C. officials, coping with a steady uptick in health care costs for state employees each year, are aiming to improve state workers' health, which saves money in medical expenses.

http://www.thestate.com/breaking/story/974259.html

The fun never stops.

[marmar]

1. How long before someone chimes in, "They should get charged more....."?

nt

[Winterblues]

9. Are you one of those that demand there be "helmet laws"?

What rationale would you have for them, if indeed you are one of those that do require helmet laws?

[marmar]

10. I have no earthly idea what you're talking about.

Repetez en anglais, s'il vous plait.

[Winterblues]

13. Most people that demand helmet laws do so because they say

that those that don't wear helmets engage in risky behavior that costs society more. Hence it is for the benefit to society that helmet laws came to be, and not as a punishment or to protect one from themself. I am suggesting the very same rationale applies here.

[Lance_Boyle]

2. Smokers or tobacco users? These are not one and the same.

In fact, I'd argue that people who use "dip" or chewing tobacco should be exempted from the higher rates on the basis that the dental problems more prevalent among that group do NOT hike health insurance premiums, since "health insurance" typically omits dental coverage.

[supernova]

4. Dip is a chief cause of oral cancers

Disgusting habit. blech. :puke:

[gkhouston]

5. I don't think oral cancers would be covered under dental insurance, though,

and if you dip, you'd be more prone to those than a non-tobacco user.

[csziggy]

3. While I don't approve on principle, they do not seem to be too rigorous on the weight

"North Carolina will allow state workers with a BMI of up to 40 to keep the discount, although a BMI of 30 is considered obese by some experts."

Do they pay their employees enough to allow them to buy healthy food? Do they work them hours that would prevent the employees from cooking healthy and from getting exercise? Do they offer programs to help the smokers and obese change their lifestyles?

Some of the Florida state employees I have known end up working 60 hours a week (with comp time so they don't get over time pay) and simply do not have time to exercise or to plan healthy meals. They get stuck in a cycle of fast food and no exercise. If the state insurance plan punished them for the results without giving them the tools to live a healthier life, it would be vicious.

[nc4bo]

11. Probably not.

Let's see we have food and cigs. Something's missing, wonder what it is?

Oops, they forgot booze. Dang.

[theHandpuppet]

12. Good catch.

:thumbsup:

[csziggy]

14. I was surprised that NC would include tobacco!

Years ago, during the Reagan "Just say No!" campaign against drugs, one of the local grocery chains had big banners up with anti-drug messages. Ironically, they were hung over the cigarette racks which were next to the liquor aisle. I tried to point out the hypocrisy to one of the managers and he just did not get it. :shrug:

These days, those banners would be over the candy and soft drink aisles.

[Taverner]

6. Once again, doing stupid things that just piss people off

Look - do you want to stop them from being overweight and smoking?

Step 1 - Give them all free membership to the cheapest health club in town. If no such thing exists, make an excersize room.

Step 2 - Do a "Biggest Loser" kind of challenge and reward the winner with something nice

Step 3 - Do something similar, but like "The Biggest Quitter"

Carrots, not sticks

[SoCalDem]

7. Let's make donut-eaters & pizza-lovers pay more too

and while we're at it, how 'bout those high-heeled wearers too.. (I can see some twisted ankles & bunions in their futures)

oh , and how about segmenting people who get speeding tickets and putting them into a higher cost group too..

OR

maybe they can only offer insurance coverage to 22 yr old bookworms with no social lives, and who take the bus to work, and brown-bag it with sprout-sandwiches & soy milk for the first 15 minutes of their 1/2-hour lunch break..and use the other 15 minutes for strenuous exercise:)

[joeybee12]

8. But if they decided to REWARD healthy people...

...like someone said, losing weight, stopping smoking, getting cholesterol levels down...make it a goal instead of a penalty...

[Lex]

15. Will be interesting to see if the next step is penalties for risk factor genes

such as having family members with breast cancer or other disease markers they can test for.

High risk factors = greater premiums.

[joeycola]

16. It may be coming soon.