Health Care Provider Penalizes Fatties

Get fined for fat!

Published on July 31, 2007 By singrdave In Health & Medicine

Fat people will still get health care, but they will be penalized under this new system. As introduced by Clarian Health Partners in Indiana, obese people will be penalized for their "lifestyle choices".

From today's Baltimore Sun:
Looking for new ways to trim the fat and boost workers' health, some employers are starting to make overweight employees pay if they don't slim down. Others, citing growing medical costs tied to obesity, are offering fit workers lucrative incentives that shave thousands of dollars a year off health care premiums.

In one of the boldest moves yet, an Indiana-based hospital chain said last month that it had decided on the stick rather than the carrot. Starting in 2009, Clarian Health Partners said it will charge employees up to $30 every two weeks unless they meet weight, cholesterol and blood pressure guidelines the company deems healthy.

What bothers me about this is that for some, obesity is not a lifestyle choice. It's very difficult for people like me to get skinny and stay skinny. I'm not making excuses -- I belong to a gym which I frequent regularly. And I was in the Army, for crying out loud, where I lost 60 pounds in basic training... and then still struggled to stay within Army fat guidelines. And I have my Lean Cuisine meal waiting for me at lunchtime. So I am very familiar with the struggle with obesity. And I don't think I should get smacked with an additional $60 per month for my health care coverage!

But for a health care company to actually penalize someone for obesity... unfair? Discriminatory?

Comments (Page 1)

singrdave

on Jul 31, 2007

Mmm... Lean Cuisine Butternut Squash Ravioli...

Nah, I just can't see Homer Simpson saying that.

Locamama

on Jul 31, 2007

The big mistake they made is how they presented this. What they should have said is that they are offering a discount to people who meet healthy weight, cholesterol and blood pressure guidelines. Then they have a public relations victory instead of getting bad press. I do think that some people may be more motivated by having to pay than for health sake to get in shape. The thing is that there are so many lifestyle choices that effect healthcare costs. What about smokers? Drinkers? etc.

CariElf

on Jul 31, 2007

Locamama, companies (particularly hospitals and other medical facilities) are aready starting to ban smokers, not just smoking in the workplace. Here's one article from here in Detroit:

http://www.detnews.com/2005/metro/0501/27/A01-71823.htm

I think it's a good idea to offer discounts to people who are healthy; that's like getting a better deal on your car insurance because you're a safe driver. But to say that fat people are going to be charged an extra $60 per month because they're fat is only going to make fat people feel victimized.

singrdave, have you ever read The New Glucose Revolution? It's helped me lose over 50 lbs without having to eat Lean Cuisine or feeling like I'm deprived, because it's not a diet. It helps you create balanced meals that will metabolize more efficiently.

SanChonino

on Jul 31, 2007

In a word: bullshiiite.

foreverserenity

on Jul 31, 2007

Oh yeah, this will surely work...now all the fat working people on that plan will definitely get thin! What a load a bull!

Jythier

on Jul 31, 2007

They're not trying to get people thin, they're trying to get more money. Balance the risk, etc.

singrdave

on Jul 31, 2007

Oh yeah, this will surely work...now all the fat working people on that plan will definitely get thin!

According to the article, they will check with their subscribers regularly to see if they have lost the weight required for reduced rates. How nice of them.

Jythier

on Jul 31, 2007

Will they pay for the extra official check-ups required to make sure you're within the limits?

singrdave

on Jul 31, 2007

Another thing I gotta admit, where is the line drawn? Will they start penalizing people for ethnically-related diseases such as anemia?

Dr Guy

on Jul 31, 2007

But for a health care company to actually penalize someone for obesity... unfair? Discriminatory?

Actuarial

What they should have said is that they are offering a discount to people who meet healthy weight, cholesterol and blood pressure guidelines. Then they have a public relations victory instead of getting bad press.

And Loca is right. It would have been smarter to say discount instead of penalty.

ParaTed2k

on Jul 31, 2007

But I thought we weren't supposed to penalize anyone for "lifestyle choices". ;~D

Until Clarian Health Partners penalize people who ride in cars and take prescription medications, they are no different than the bully making fun of the fat kid at recess.

CharlesCS

on Jul 31, 2007

But for a health care company to actually penalize someone for obesity... unfair? Discriminatory?

Singrdave:

I could be wrong here but it seems that you may have actually misunderstood your own article. Here you say they penalize for being obese but from your own article you state this:

As introduced by Clarian Health Partners in Indiana, obese people will be penalized for their "lifestyle choices".

Now, I'm all for not penalizing people who can't keep the fat off for physical reasons, they are either big boned by nature or have a physical disorder that makes them fat even if they diet and exercise, but if the problem is for lack of trying or as you put it a "lifestyle choice" than for their benefit both physically and mentally, this may not be such a bad idea. It seems that at times people have to be forced to take care of themselves rather than hope they do. It sucks to think how fewer people would not have to spend so much time at a doctors office or a hospital if they simply stopped or never started smoking.

And Loca is right. It would have been smarter to say discount instead of penalty.

While I agree with both you and Loca that a discount sounds like a good idea, I have to say Loca may have jumped the gun here or ignored the part where it says this:

Others, citing growing medical costs tied to obesity, are offering fit workers lucrative incentives that shave thousands of dollars a year off health care premiums.

Again, it's a great idea to offer a discount which also reduces bad press, but lets not forget that some are actually giving incentives for being thin. Then again, would this not be unfair for those who can not lose weight due to physical disorders or simply because they are naturally big?

CharlesCS

on Jul 31, 2007

But I thought we weren't supposed to penalize anyone for "lifestyle choices". ;~D

Until Clarian Health Partners penalize people who ride in cars and take prescription medications, they are no different than the bully making fun of the fat kid at recess.

You make a good point, seems we can't decide when we allow lifestyle choices and when we shouldn't. I may take back this part:

but if the problem is for lack of trying or as you put it a "lifestyle choice" than for their benefit both physically and mentally, this may not be such a bad idea.

Dr Guy

on Jul 31, 2007

Loca's Idea, and my hurrah actually is just a matter of semantics. The cost to the provider is the same, but the public impression is 180 degrees. For those who have a problem that is medical that does not allow them to get thin, they are not hurt any more than before. And they dont "get" anything. The way the company phrased it however, no one "gets" anything, but some lose.

singrdave

on Jul 31, 2007

Charles:

I could be wrong here but it seems that you may have actually misunderstood your own article. Here you say they penalize for being obese but from your own article you state this:
As introduced by Clarian Health Partners in Indiana, obese people will be penalized for their "lifestyle choices".
Now, I'm all for not penalizing people who can't keep the fat off for physical reasons, they are either big boned by nature or have a physical disorder that makes them fat even if they diet and exercise, but if the problem is for lack of trying or as you put it a "lifestyle choice" than for their benefit both physically and mentally, this may not be such a bad idea.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor.

Opinion: it takes a serious medical condition to be physically unable to lose weight. Whether it's a chronic thyroid condition or the side effect of heavy medication, there are very few actual reasons for weight gain. I personally believe that my own weight problem is my own problem, only the side effect of overeating. (There's no such thing as big boned... what a lame cop-out.) That's why I labeled this action by Clarian Health Partners as penalizing a "lifestyle choice".

I just felt this policy would hit people where it really hurts: their wallets... and their self-images.

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