Charging the Unhealthy More For Insurance 1106
Posted
by
kdawson
from the no-carrots-for-you-here's-a-stick dept.
from the no-carrots-for-you-here's-a-stick dept.
Joe The Dragon sends us a BusinessWeek story, run on Yahoo, about Clarian Health and the new thing they are trying with health insurance coverage for their employees. They are charging unhealthy people more. The article goes into some depth about whether this is a good idea and whether the practice might spread. "In late June, the Indianapolis-based hospital system announced that starting in 2009, it will fine employees $10 per paycheck if their body mass index (BMI, a ratio of height to weight that measures body fat) is over 30. If their cholesterol, blood pressure, and glucose levels are too high, they'll be charged $5 for each standard they don't meet. Ditto if they smoke: Starting next year, they'll be charged another $5 in each check."
and if you have a slashdot account (Score:5, Funny)
Where will this madness end? (Score:5, Funny)
Form of Discrimination? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:and if you have a slashdot account (Score:3, Funny)
And my BMI is usually just less than 30. Yet my body fat is around 6%, which is kind of at odds with the summary, but pointing out errors in summaries is kind of boring here.
Luckily I'm self employed and pay exorbitant rates regardless.
Re:What's the problem? (Score:5, Funny)
We should gather every employee in a room & stand them on a table one-by-one, if the majority of the room thinks that person is a fat bastard, that person gets charged more.
Re:Slow news day? (Score:5, Funny)
World wasn't invented in a day, boy. Simmer down. They'll get to it.
Re:and if you have a slashdot account (Score:2, Funny)
Re:What's the problem? (Score:2, Funny)
Sounds fair to me!
Re:What's the problem? (Score:3, Funny)
Bosses are exempt, if you have a problem with that you should have majored in Business instead of Programming.
Re:Form of Discrimination? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:and if you have a slashdot account (Score:5, Funny)
Agreed. My BMI is 57, and I feel just fine thank you very much.
Now help a brotha out...I can't reach the remote and I can't get up off the couch. Could you change it to channel 114 and pass the Doritos?
Re:Charge vegetarians less? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:and if you have a slashdot account (Score:1, Funny)
Re:because averages are good. (Score:1, Funny)
I agree 100%!
Re:Charge vegetarians less? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Charge vegetarians less? (Score:1, Funny)
Re:and if you have a slashdot account (Score:2, Funny)
Re:and if you have a slashdot account (Score:2, Funny)
Great idea! (Score:5, Funny)
We should gather every employee in a room & stand them on a table one-by-one...
Yeah! We could hire people the same way. Let different departments bid on them. Make them take their shirts off and show their teeth so you know they're nice and healthy. And, just for their safety and protection, we might want to chain them together, so they don't get scared and fall off the table. And maybe a small but tasteful whip, strictly to make sure things move along and people don't waste all day bidding on new employees. And make them sing worker songs, because people really like that. Swiiiing low, sweet cub-i-cle wor-ker...headed for the break room at niiiiiine. That's my favorite.
Dang, it seems so obvious. Why hasn't anyone thought of that before?
I knew that would come in handy.... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:and if you have a slashdot account (Score:3, Funny)
Cast OUT those DEMONS! Can I get an AMEN?!?
Louder! The LORD can't HEAR you!
Re:and if you have a slashdot account (Score:5, Funny)
Re:and if you have a slashdot account (Score:4, Funny)
Since the number of those requesting medical care is most definitely finite I'm not sure how you arrive at infinite demand. Because you insist it is an "observed fact", I have decided to stop reading your post. I suspect you may have need for mental medical care.
Re:Where will this madness end? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Too much work is the problem. (Score:3, Funny)
Re:you're making a joke but (Score:5, Funny)
Re:and if you have a slashdot account (Score:4, Funny)
Re:depends on definitions (Score:1, Funny)
Re:and if you have a slashdot account (Score:3, Funny)
Re:and if you have a slashdot account (Score:3, Funny)