Clarian won't dock workers who fail to meet health marks

[Newsjock]

Source: Indianapolis Star

Clarian Health apparently has decided the punitive approach may not be the best way to motivate employees to shape up.

The Indianapolis hospital system has abruptly ended a plan — which Clarian had touted on national TV just months before — to dock workers up to $30 out of their paychecks every two weeks if they did not control certain risk factors such as body-mass index, high cholesterol and high blood sugar.

The plan, set to take effect in 2009, featured mandatory health-risk assessments for all employees enrolling for health insurance.

Now the program, which still starts in 2009, is purely voluntary. And workers who do participate in the “wellness tract” will be paid bonuses of up to $30 per pay period if they don’t use tobacco and meet certain measurements for body-mass index, LDL “bad” cholesterol, blood glucose and blood pressure.

Read more: http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071031/LOCAL/71031042

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It's just me, but I have a sneaking suspicion that everybody's overall pay raises will just magically happen to decrease by about $30 as well, so the "reward" will still be a "penalty."

[AX10]

1. Where's the middle finger emotcon?

I want one right now!

[JeanGrey]

3. This is unbelievable. Let's simply keep punishing the poor

weak and sick. My sister is a diabetic. I guess she won't be able to keep a job that pays anything.

[harpboy_ak]

4. The company's right

Those of us who exercise, eat well, and control our weight, blood sugar, and LDL levels shouldn't have to pay for the higher costs of those who don't.

It doesn't cost any more to eat right, or to get regular exercise. As a matter of fact, cycling to work has saved me a lot of gas money over the past 20 years, as well as improving my health. I save money by NOT buying junk foods full of fat, sugar, and salt, and even more by growing my own organic vegetables every summer, so that for at least 5 months a year, I can have healthy garden fresh salads and greens.

Don't give me this crap about how this discriminates against poor people either. I've had well below average income for about half of my life, but I've always had a healthy diet and adequate exercise.

I don't think folks should be penalized for medical conditions that are not of their own doing, like Type 1 diabetes or genetic conditions, but there is no reason why I should be paying a higher health insurance premium for folks who smoke, are just to lazy too exercise, or gorge themselves on junk foods.

[Mojorabbit]

5. You must be young

I have a hereditary cholesterol problem. Can't take the statins due to dangerous side effects. As you age things start wearing out. I am more of a we are all in this together as opposed to what is only best for myself type of person though..

[angstlessk]

6. wonder what the company planned to use the money on???

reducing the cost to the employees of health insurance or to prop up the CEO's bonus???

[happyslug]

7. I also bike to work, but am overweight with cholesterol problems

My Doctor threaten every so often to put me on Diabetes medication. Yet I Ride every day to work and back and go on long trips ((more than 10 miles) every week or so (sometimes 2-3 times a week). Yet my cholesterol has been measured over 800 (With medication it is now below 200), I am still over weight and do to my long term use of drugs to handle my cholesterol I have developed a slight case of sugar (Not enough to put me on medication but something to watch). I try to eat healthy but it seems to have no affect.

My point is often a person's health is beyond their control. This includes weight (Which is less a factor than the lack of exercise, in study where weight in considered ALONG with lack of Exercise, it is the lack of exercise that is the killer, NOT the weight). In fact I have read studies that indicates if someone is substantially overweight BUT EXERCISE WITH THAT WEIGHT, he or she has the same life expectancy as someone with a normal weight. It is the lack of exercise that is the killer more than weight.

One last comment, one of the problems with today's society is the inability for the poor to get to their jobs without a car. Most entry level jobs are (and have been since the 1970s) in the suburbs. To get to these jobs you need a car, which cuts out most people's ability to exercise. once home people want to unwind from work, not go back out and exercise (thus exercise as part of your commute actually works, you are doing both at the same time). The problem is most poor people have a weak hold on their jobs and the last thing they need is any way someone can attack their work performance. Exercising to work can build up sweat, and that can lead to criticism. Thus a lot of poor people have a problem exercising, do to their jobs and the jobs inability to work with the worker to stay Heath. IT is easy to Criticize such people but you have to at them as a whole, i.e. not only at work, but at home, and how they go from one to another. The poor have a harder time doing the transition do to low income AND low ability to hold onto a job. These two work together to prevent the poor from developing a more healthy lifestyle (And I can NOT exclude Televising, and it glamorization of Cars as the only means to get around, visual simulation is a HUGE factor in how people view themselves and their options in life).

[pookieblue]

8. I'm over weight...

despite exercising at least an hour everyday.

my sugar levels, my Cholesterol,Triglycerides all that are great. better in fact, than my doctor's...who jogs everyday and watches what he eats. My weight is a struggle due my thyroid. My doctor's Cholesterol is due to family history.

but this isn't about health insuance.

what this whole thing was about...was the company was actually wanting to DOCK a person's paycheck for having these problems.

I'm glad that they sort of back down...err switched it from docking someone's paycheck.

though I have to wonder if rewarding others on their paychecks is legit?

I know that our company used to help pay for gym memberships but that was cut out because someone complained that it was unfair.

[seriousstan]

2. Has this been negotiated through a Union?