Living healthy = lower health insurance

I hope this is just the tip of the iceberg and becomes the model for health-care across the country.

HMO extends discounts to small firms

Healthier living can cut costs for employers, their workers

By Julie Appleby

USA TODAY

A Michigan HMO says it will give workers at small companies who agree to pursue healthier lifestyles a break on their health insurance, just as employees at some large, self-insured companies receive.

In what may be the most far-reaching such effort aimed at smaller employers, the HMO is offering an average 10% premium discount to employers who participate, and lower co-pays and deductibles for their workers who agree to exercise, quit smoking and take prescribed medications consistently.

The program by Blue Care Network, part of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, comes as benefit managers nationwide embrace “consumerism.” The term encompasses a range of efforts, often aimed at getting workers to pay a larger portion of their health costs and be more judicious consumers.

Along with such things as lower deductibles, some employers are offering cash or prizes to workers who complete health assessments or participate in wellness programs. A few charge smokers higher premiums. Most such efforts are among large, self-insured companies.

But now, some insurers are offering programs for smaller employers. In Washington state, Premera Blue Cross in June began offering midsize employers two free years of health risk management and health “coaching” for workers. In April, Massachusetts joined several other states in changing laws regulating insurance sold to small companies to allow larger discounts for companies with wellness programs.

The Blue Care program gives premium discounts to employers who agree to ban workplace smoking, offer healthy food choices and encourage exercise.

Workers who sign up must go to their doctors to record blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol level, weight and the use of alcohol or tobacco. Spouses covered by the plan must also participate.

Workers and spouses who don't adhere to changes suggested by their doctors, such as joining stop-smoking classes or weight-loss programs, will see their co-payments rise. Drugs, for example, may go from $10 per prescription to $15 or an office visit may jump from $20 to $30. “People don't feel that smokers and people who are overweight should be paying the same as those who are taking care of themselves,” says Douglas Woll, chief medical officer for Blue Care.

Such programs may attract companies that are already focusing on healthy lifestyles and have healthier workers, says Peter Lee of the Pacific Business Group on Health. He expects more such programs: “I'm seeing increasing interest in employers recognizing their premium costs are often driven by the lifestyle choices of some of their employees, and that's causing an unfair burden on other employees.”

Kurp you might like this.

My wife's company this past year started a health care plan that is basically the less you go to the Dr's the less you pay. It is known in the health field that people go to the Dr's to much. With this new plan it pushs you to take care of yourself so you do not have to go as much, and pay as much.

A lot of companies are going to start offering these type of plans to their employees.

My work does this to some degree. We have a program that we can enroll in and if we reach a certain level we get discounts on our health insurance premiums. Some of my coworkers even get paid instead of paying for their premiums.

Studies have shown that Europeans are much healthier than Americans and spend about 35% less on health care.

I think the U.S. needs to get with the rest of the modern world and get a socialized health-care system together.

Sounds creepy to me that I could essentially get fined for skipping time at the gym ... :paranoid:

Excellent start.

Next we need to punish those that choose to live unhealthy lifestyles as well.

It is known in the health field that people go to the Dr's to much. With this new plan it pushs you to take care of yourself so you do not have to go as much, and pay as much.

The reason we go to the doctor too often is because you need the damn referral :laugh: . When I ruptured the disc in my back I had to first go see my regular physician in order to get a referral to go to my back doctor. He then had me go to a surgeon because I needed to get 2 cortisone injections...but first I had to go back to my regular physician to get the referral to go to the surgeon. After the injections, the back doctor sent me for physical therapy...but before I went there, I had to go back to my physician to get a referral to the physical therapist. Each time my co-pay was $15. Helluva deal for the doc....got me into the office 4 times and all he did was have the receptionist give me a slip of paper with a referral number on it. :laugh:

Seriously though...this is a great idea. I (or my family) rarely go to the doctor...mostly routine physicals when we go.

...my boss, on the other hand, has some sort of doctor appointment once a week it seems

I hope this is just the tip of the iceberg and becomes the model for health-care across the country.

HMO extends discounts to small firms

Healthier living can cut costs for employers, their workers

By Julie Appleby

USA TODAY

In what may be the most far-reaching such effort aimed at smaller employers, the HMO is offering an average 10% premium discount to employers who participate, and lower co-pays and deductibles for their workers who agree to exercise, quit smoking and take prescribed medications consistently.

The part in bold scares me a bit. I'm already distrusting of drug companies and believe that they purposely overprescribe medications to help their bottom lines. It's so wierd, legal drugs = a ok, take as many as we can give you, illegal drugs = you're a disgusting degenerate of a person. They're all drugs.

Studies have shown that Europeans are much healthier than Americans and spend about 35% less on health care.

I think the U.S. needs to get with the rest of the modern world and get a socialized health-care system together.

Sounds creepy to me that I could essentially get fined for skipping time at the gym ... :paranoid:

Studies also show that Europeans (excluding the UK) have almost 3 times as much vacation as the average american and a considerably worse economy. Alot of the health issues stems from americans overworking themselves. The average american takes 5 days of vacation a year (saw this on GMA a few weeks ago) but has 15 days of vacation to take, the average European takes 30 days of vacation a year but has 40 days of vacation. Stress is one of the leading causes of obesity and heart disease.