Forced To Be Fit At Work?

With Health Care Costs Soaring, Some Employers Are Giving An Ultimatum: Shape Up Or Pay Up

(CBS)  For Kym Jackson, exercise is a way of life now. Two years of a rigorous regimen have literally transformed her.

As CBS News correspondent Dean Reynolds notes, she really does look like a different person now - a completely different person.

But Jackson changed because she had little choice.

Her employer, the Benton County, Ark., government, told her and every other out-of shape worker to get healthy or be punished, because the cost of providing health care coverage for them was getting out of hand.

“I have to tell you, when our plan was hemorrhaging, it was about a bottom-line issue,” said Benton County’s human resources director Barbara Ludwig. “But it was an employee's bottom-line.”

The county raised its annual deductible from $750 in 2004 to $2,750 in 2005.

But it built an incentive into the plan enabling county workers to cut that amount to as low as $500 if they were able to pass yearly fitness tests: cholesterol lower than 160; glucose lower than 126; blood pressure 140 over 90 and no nicotine.

Get healthy, save money.

But many employers were offended - initially.

A prison guard, Andy Bowman, said his first reaction was: “didn’t like it.”

Why not?

“I didn’t want no one telling me I’m out of shape,” Bowman said. “No one wants to have it in their face.”

Another guard, Mark, said: “I think at first you’re a little skeptical, picking on me because I’m fat."

So Reynolds asked the HR manager, “You're forcing a lifestyle on your workers?”

“We had to do something to protect the plan and protect their access to health care. And I think there’s a lot of companies out there that are facing the same thing that we were,” Ludwig said.

She’s right. A growing number of companies are telling workers to get healthy or pay more for insurance.

So, is the plan working? Consider the numbers. Before it went into effect, the county health care fund was nearly half a million dollars in the red. Seventeen months after it went into effect, the county health care fund was nearly a million dollars in the black.

Healthier workers, it seems, are filing less expensive claims.

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Couric & Co. Blog: Forced to be Fit

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Reynolds spoke with a handful of workers, asking how much weight they’ve lost. One, Angie, said she’d lost 22 pounds. Mark had lost 40 and Andy had lost 54.

Still, critics worry that some employers have ulterior motives.

“They’re looking for ways to cut costs and, unfortunately, some employers are going about it the wrong way, and they're trying to simply push those costs onto their employees,” said Jeremy Gruber of the National Work Rights Institute.

Even for Jackson, when the program began she found it intrusive.

“Oh yes, I hated it - I thought it was a violation of my rights,” she said.

But she admits being told to lose weight or lose money has paid off.

“I feel so much better!” she said.

[mitywhity]

This is great!!!! "...employers are simply pushing their costs onto the employees..." That''s good too - that''s where they belong. After all, the insurance IS for THEM and if they want employer-sponsored coverage they either need to pony up some bucks or lower their burden. Notice how everyone is actually glad that they were forced to get into shape?

[tiggerlily1]

What%u2019s the REST of the story? How many workers just quit? How did tinkering with premiums help their budget? How many workers-scared to make ANY insurance claims-just didn%u2019t seek treatment for lesser illnesses and injuries? And now that a "win" has seemingly occurred with this campaign%u2014what other health issues will be targeted? After all--type II diabetes, migraines, allergies, many psych. problems, numerous joint & muscle issues, etc, can be mitigated or eliminated by lifestyle changes. Heck--arguably, almost ANY health issue can be diminished or eliminated thusly--and insurers can "justify" ceasing coverage, or raising premiums, for said health problems. This week it was reported that Medicaid/Medicare has proposed ceasing to cover treatment of MRSA infections because "they are preventable."
Benton Co. here is also a victim of insurers who want to insure only the young and healthy. But not only is that concept unworkable--it''s fraught with ethical, medical, moral, and legal issues. Take this real-life scenario: one worker is overweight--but with good blood pressure, cholesterol, etc. His employer has to cut HIM a check every year to pay for his unused sick days--he already has the 90 he%u2019s allowed to build up. Then there%u2019s his normal weight friend, also with no major health issues, but who%u2019s constantly out "sick" and racing to the doctor practically every time he sneezes--ditto for his wife & kids. Who''s really the health care burden there?

[mc120952]

When I was 25 I weighed between 115 and 118. I was physically active, with blood glucose in normal range. But my cholesterol was over 300 and my blood pressure was in the low end of high blood pressure, about 145/95. My father in law was 50 weighed about 270 and not at all physically active, but his blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol were fantastic. If my numbers were ever that good my doctor would have had to rerun the tests because he would have known something was wrong.
This goes to show that sometimes weight has nothing to do with bad numbers. I am now over 50. My weight is still not an issue, but am still fighting cholesterol numbers.

[cbs_oliver]

Employers appear to find less and less reason to employ anybody at all.

After all, the real money is made in currupt dealings, market manipulation, and savy buying and selling to elite consumers and other companies.

[likeitis5050]

Authentic Social Security Card optional. Authentic Driver''s License optional. Health care plan optional. Pi...ss tests mandatory (for everyone except those lined up to recieve federal or state assistance money...go figure).Recreational activities and eating habits grounds for termination. Welcome to the new United States of America.

Zriidf1871...knock off the multiple posting and personal advertising. No one cares to read your same lame post more than one time.

[ianlou]

Big Brother wins again.
This is the new flavor of ******* Insurance.

[jeansmith]

I can not believe that the "Land of the Free" has taken so many freedoms away from us. Whatever happened to being tolerant of people and their differences. Many overweight people do not engage in unhealthy eating habits. They have a medical reason why they are overweight.
Blood pressure and high cholesterol may also have hereditary factors. Who decides if someone has OK reasons for this or not? Who has set themselves up to judge others?
I think if someone wants me to quit smoking, then by rights I can tell them there will be no more driving cars. They are polluting my "healthy air". Likewise, they will no longer be able to manufacture and produce because the smoke billowing out of the factory is harming my health.
I understand that I have a "higher risk" than a non-smoker of having cancer. This is not a GUARANTEE that I will get cancer, just that I am more likely to get it. We have all heard of people that smoke like a chimney well into their nineties with no problems other than old age, just as the person who never smoked a day in their life that gets cancer. Lifestyle is not a guarantee of health, only a probability. (Wasn''''t there a marathon runner who dropped dead during the first 5 miles of the race)
What I''''m saying is that if I get in an accident on the way home from work today, my life style or lack there of is of no concern to anybody but myself, and the hypocritical people who want to inflict their interests and values on me will have made no difference in the end result.

[jeansmith]

I can not believe that the "Land of the Free" has taken so many freedoms away from us. Whatever happened to being tolerant of people and their differences. Many overweight people do not engage in unhealthy eating habits. They have a medical reason why they are overweight.
Blood pressure and high cholesterol may also have hereditary factors. Who decides if someone has OK reasons for this or not? Who has set themselves up to judge others?
I think if someone wants me to quit smoking, then by rights I can tell them there will be no more driving cars. They are polluting my "healthy air". Likewise, they will no longer be able to manufacture and produce because the smoke billowing out of the factory is harming my health.
I understand that I have a "higher risk" than a non-smoker of having cancer. This is not a GUARANTEE that I will get cancer, just that I am more likely to get it. We have all heard of people that smoke like a chimney well into their nineties with no problems other than old age, just as the person who never smoked a day in their life that gets cancer. Lifestyle is not a guarantee of health, only a probability. (Wasn''''t there a marathon runner who dropped dead during the first 5 miles of the race)
What I''''m saying is that if I get in an accident on the way home from work today, my life style or lack there of is of no concern to anybody but myself, and the hypocritical people who want to inflict their interests and values on me will have made no difference in the end result.

[zoltaric]

I think it''s great. Why should healthy people be forced to pay more in premiums to cover the fat pigs. Stop eating the doughnuts.

[rushman71]

Stop eating the doughnuts.

Posted by zoltaric

I agree!!! Danm cops need to concentrate on public safety, not doughnuts!!! LOL

[kymberlyjj]

My name is Kym Jackson and I was on the forced to be fit story last night. When they told us that they were going to start testing us I hated it. I thought what right do they have to make their employees take these tests. Not only I''m I over weight, I''m diabetic and I''m a smoker. But I started to look at it like "I''m 28 years old and I can''t pass the five point of health" That got me going. I have a four year old and I don''t want him to grow up without a mom. Now that I have lost 97lb I passed the BMI, and my sugar levels are in normal range. I feel like a different person. (In a good way) I have about 15lb to loss before I get to MY goal not the county and I plan to quit smoking at that time. I thank the county for bringing my health issue to my attention. This program is not a bad thing. You can not take the tests and have a 2,500 deductable or you can take the tests and get credit for the ones you pass.

[lonestartnow]

Even with a plan such as the one Benton County put in place, you still can''t force people to change if they simply don''t want to. I''m co-founder of the LoneStart Wellness Initiative, and this is something we see on a regular basis. And, we will all see more of it because it costs us all. Even though individuals may resent being told they "must lose weight and become more physically active," those who do find their lives changed--for the better. We recently learned from a hospital in Kerr County Texas that implemented our program for their employees that with just a 17 percent participation rate and in less than a year, they saw their insurance costs drop 9.1 percent, a savings of about $46,400 per month. Utilization was reduced as were incident rate and claims. It''s absolutely true, healthier employees, healthier individuals lead to substantial savings--and more importantly, long-term health and wellness.

[ianlou]

think it''''s great. Why should healthy people be forced to pay more in premiums to cover the fat pigs. Stop eating the doughnuts.
Posted by zoltaric at 09:30 AM : Nov 07, 2007

Will this form of insurance be applied to our Fat-a$$ed public officials? Hell No, they have the best insurance or tax dollars can buy.

[hou54]

I think it is great that there are companies who provide for their employees to be healthy. But what about the companies who expect their employees to work 10 hours a day, with no lunch or breaks, how are they expected to be healthy when you have kids to get off to school, get yourself ready, get to work and then leave your job at 5:00 or 6:00 to get home and make a healthy supper, help with homework, and all the other things that need done. If companies want their employees to become fit they should also provide a time for their employees to walk or have some type of exercise. The employees who are able to release some of their stress which is a major reason for being unhealthy, you work with a better attitude because you feel they care about you not just a cheaper way for them to have more money for themselves. I applaud the companies who have made it accessible for their employees to get and remain healthy. Those workers are happy, and yes there is always the ones who ruin it for the employees who appreciate the extras.

[mswolfestock]

These "Get Healthy Or Else" plans will always be unfair as long as they fail to offer bonuses or rewards to the people who have always been healthy. I think they''d be giving the fatties all the incentive they need to lose weight if they offered free health care to those who don''t smoke, are not overweight, and who have low cholesterol and low blood pressure. Then the bosses wouldn''t be judged as unfair. The fatties could have free health care when they lost weight; the smokers could get free health care when they quit smoking. They will always meet with opposition and resentment when they fail to reward the existing good behavior instead of punishing the bad behavior.

[enriquecaliente]

Insurance: A license to steal.

[cdegolier]

They did it to the smokers it''s only fair to do it to the obese.

[flipantflaw]

'' ... the media loves to make a living reporting lots of peoples hardships, yet people don''t have one of those grocery / conveinence / restaurant relationships with their market share providets ... folk seeking marketshare must get killed in a conspiracy or must behave in some socalled extreme embarassmant fashion in order to attain any scraps of major media attention ... that or pay a fortune scarcely any can afford ... and even then you best not be some lazy naked ignorant profane blemished promiscuous child wishing for a less cruel world ... ''

'' ... 90,000 countys of 90,000 folk, 90,000 networks of 90,000 folk, 300 villages of 300 folk, 300 channels of 300 folk, 20 homes of 20 folk, 20 sites of 20 folk, 5 folk around each of 4 sick beds ... ''

'' ... how bright to not only invest in trillion dollar baby raping warfare to save one''s own babys, but then to admit it to the masses whos babys got raped in the trillion dollar baby raping warfare ... ''

'' ... full disclosure is not an issue, unless there is an absence of marketshare where and when full disclosure becomes quite the putrid eyesore ... ''

[skinnyminny2]

I''ve collapsed 4 times in the past year and needed extended medical treatment. I''m 20 lb underweight, a closet anorexic and exercise addict. No one''s picked up on this yet, they have no idea. It''s not just fat people who burden the health care system. And until they figure that out, I''ll take what I can get.

[hrbc1]

Skinnyminny2- I am sorry that you are facing such a challenge. What you have is a disease and it is protected by law. For our employees who are morbidly obese due to a genetic disorder, they would be able to appeal the test and as long as they are under a doctor''s care and working on it, they could receive the credit. For those who feel we are just making it tougher for people to be insured, I want you to know that we pay 100% of the employee''s premium at Benton County. They don''t pay anything for their coverage. We also have a $20 co-pay. They can go to a doctor, even a specialist for $20. The problem was the claims were so high that we were at a breaking point. We were considering charging a premium, eliminating the co-pay or giving them cash and let them find their own insurance. The problem with these choices is that these choices would block many employees from getting healthcare and in some cases block them from being insured.

[nholt06]

To MSWOLFSTOCK: Your comment:
"They will always meet with opposition and resentment when they fail to reward the existing good behavior instead of punishing the bad behavior."
You''re right! However, the county plan highlighted in the story said that those who failed to meet the various healthy criteria (blood pressure, Cholesterol, etc.) had to pay higher deductible. Those who met the criteria, whether they had to work to get there, or were healthy already, paid as little as $500 (vs. 2,750). You, as a fit, healthy individual, would be rewarded for it, by paying less than everyone was paying under the old plan, which was $750.
So you are right, rewards need to go to those who have always led the way, not just to the "most improved."

[chpsusan]

I think this is the greatest thing to happen yet in the workforce. Why should those who CHOOSE to be fit and healthy have to take care of those who CHOOSE NOT to be? That makes zero since to me. If health care worked like auto insurance, this country might not be in the shape it is today. The concept is there people. You either start taking care of yourself since you don''t seem to know how without being told or pay the price.. It''s real simple math.
Let''s hope more companies get on the band wagon with health care like this............

[memerider]

The only problem I see is that many companies require unreasonable overtime. In large cities, workers have to agree to this just to be employed, so they are exhausted by overwork. It leaves no time for family, exercise, and life. If organizations can force workers to be fit, then workers should be able to work only 40 hours per week so they can add this in. Better yet, workplaces should make allowances for workers to exercise during the workday, especially if they must work overtime.

[jdadee]

I am in the military. We are required to be fit or face A LOT of extra mandatory physical activity and possibly termination. The big difference is that we are allotted time during working hours to exercise. How can a company force employees to be fit without providing them the means? Companies need to have gyms or discounts with local health clubs, time to exercise during working hours, something more than "Exercise or pay up."

[hrbc1]

capuletnew wrote: "How can a company force employees to be fit without providing them the means? Companies need to have gyms or discounts with local health clubs, time to exercise during working hours, something more than "Exercise or pay up." We, (at Benton County) are paid by the taxpayers and I don''t think they would go for allowing people to exercise during working hours. We are in the process of trying to get exercise equipment donated so we can have an exercise room. The employees that are required to pass medical exams for their jobs (i.e. sheriff deputies, jailer, etc.) are allowed to exercise during work time. We don''t force our people to lose weight or stop smoking. It is a personal choice. However, if they do lose weight or stop smoking there is an incentive built into the plan. We also work with area fitness centers to get discounts for our employees and we do offer smoking cessation programs during the lunch hour. Ultimately self-improvement is up to the individual--we can only change ourselves. It really is about personal accountability.