Get in shape or pay a price. That is a message more Americans could hear if the health-care legislation passed by the Senate finance and health committees becomes law.
Jump to full article: Seattle (WA) Times, 2009-10-18
Author: David S. Hilzenrath The Washington Post
Intro: Get in shape or pay a price.
That is a message more Americans could hear if the health-care legislation passed by the Senate finance and health committees becomes law. By more than doubling the maximum penalties that companies can apply to employees who flunk medical evaluations, the final bill could put workers under intense financial pressure to lose weight, stop smoking or lower their cholesterol.
The initiative, largely eclipsed in the health-care debate, builds on a trend that is in play among some corporations and that more workers will see in the benefits packages they bring home during open-enrollment periods. Some employers offer lower premiums to workers who complete personal health assessments; others offer limited benefit packages to smokers.
The current legislative effort would take the trend a step further. It is backed by major employer groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers. It is opposed by labor unions and organizations devoted to battling serious illnesses, such as the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society and the American Diabetes Association.
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North Carolina has angered some state employees by introducing a wellness program that would limit the most generous benefits package to those who meet body mass targets and do not smoke. The state would allow workers to satisfy the requirement by enrolling in weight-management or quit-smoking programs.
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