I guess I saw that coming

[cellio]

A couple of years ago my employer earnestly announced a health fair to "help" us better manage our health, and if we would agree to supply certain data like our cholesterol numbers and BMI and other stuff to them (in aggregate only, they assured us), we would be entered into a drawing for a $50 gift card. A raffle ticket with that kind of expected value did not entice me. They did it again, raising the raffle stakes some, but I still didn't bite. (If it's for my own benefit, after all, then my annual physical should do the job, no?)

This year they announced that health-care costs are going up, but if we supply this information -- which we can get from a conveniently-scheduled health fair -- our cost will be $500 lower than it would be otherwise. I signed up. I guess we know what I am; we're just haggling over price.

Comments

[dragonazure.livejournal.com]

Self-insured companies are definitely looking for ways to save money on healthcare costs that have managed to double in the last 10 years. The "healthy way" sort of thing is very popular at the moment. The specific details of each one is going to vary, but the general concept is sound--encourage your employees to live healthier lifestyles, and you will end up paying less over the long run because you aren't having to manage all the chronic health issues that accompany unhealthy lifestyles.

The major problem with this approach is a one-size-fits-all roadmap of "healthy" that fails. Each "healthy lifestyle" has to be tailored to the individual, and rarely is able to affect actual working conditions that could be a major contributing factor to some of those health issues.

I think it is a reasonably sound principle, and should overall be beneficial for most employees and for the company. On a case-by-case basis, maybe not.

Personal privacy issues are a different matter entirely....

Secondary issues crop up around the insurance companies trying to force physicians to prescribe "Big Pharma" pills. Our physician keeps getting hit up to prescribe more Lipitor instead of getting people to eat healthier and exercise. Yeesh

[cellio]

We're self-funded too. The suggestions we get via email fall into two groupings: "duh", like "eat healthy food", and "in what universe?", like "spend an hour a day exercising (on your own time)". Quite aside from the fact that I get my health-care guidance from my physician, not a corporate email engine, if they want to send such advice I would welcome useful information that helps me make decisions, like how to structure a small exercise effort for best effect (you get 15 minutes a day; how should I spend them?") or tips on eating a balanced diet with fewer animal products that I can cook in the crock pot or in no more than about 20 minutes of active prep on weeknights, or how to understand my drug options and what to ask about that my doctor might not be volunteering... that kind of stuff. So far I've been disappointed.

(Note: I'm not soliciting that advice here; I'm just giving examples of the kinds of advice they could offer if they must offer advice.)

[devreux.livejournal.com]

Ugh. Sounds like the same lame, recycled, we-already-*know*-this-stuff-folks assortment of pap that annoys me in "go green" publications. Yes, I already *know* to drive less, combine my errands, switch to CFLs, lower my thermostat. There's never anything new or meaningful, and I'm disappointed to hear that it's the same in the "go healthy" arena, too ... Pppppbbbbth.