I don't have a problem with this.

A new policy by CVS requires workers who get their health insurance from the company to report their weight, body fat and glucose levels to the insurer or pay a $600 penalty.


CVS Caremark, which has 200,000 employees, told all workers who use the company insurance plan to have a doctor determine their weight, height, body fat, blood pressure and glucose and fasting lipid levels by May 1, the Boston Herald reported.

"Our benefits program is evolving to help our colleagues take more responsibility for improving their health and managing health-associated costs," the company said in a statement.

"This is an incredibly coercive and invasive thing to ask employees to do," Patient Privacy Rights founder Dr. Deborah Peel told the newspaper.

CVS said it will pay for the weight, body fat and blood screenings.

"Health screenings of this nature are increasingly common with employer-sponsored health plans," the company said.

If workers don’t provide the information, their medical coverage will jump by $50 a month.

"Rising health care costs are killing the economy, and businesses are terrified," Peel told the newspaper. "Now, we’re all in this terrible situation where employers are desperate to get rid of workers who have costly health conditions, like obesity and diabetes."

"All personal health data is kept private by our wellness program’s third party administrator and is never shared with CVS Caremark," the company said.

Read more: http://www.wmur.com/news/health/CVS-wants-body-fat-information-for-workers-with-company-health-plans/-/9857712/19391128/-/dgj4p6z/-/index.html#ixzz2O5MeF7Pf

I agree with this on the surface.

It is akin to an auto-insurance carrier running your driving record and credit rating.


On the flip side, a health insurance provider can’t discriminate against a protected class. If you are an alcoholic, drug addict, or clinically obese you are protected. If you partake in the same activities in moderation, you will pay more.

Doesn’t quite seem right does it?

No it doesn't sound quite right. It is aggravating. Why are there all these protected classes? If you take care of yourself a little bit, you are penalized, if you let yourself go completely, you are protected?? Just like if you are broke financially because you weren't careful with spending, you are protected.

As far as checking your credit for auto insurance, that is a big pet peeve of mine. Everything we have is paid off, we don't have any loans, we pay our credit card every month, yet we are penalized on our insurance because of that. I once told them maybe I should take out some loans, just so they would have some info.

Outerlimits wrote:"...On the flip side, a health insurance provider can’t discriminate against a protected class..."

As costs increase, those protected classes may find themselves imperiled.

I wanted to say, good to see you friend, outer. Wish you would post more!!!

Thanks WHL

Unfortunately I have been out straight lately and have had little time for anything but work. I do try to visit once a day.

Getting back to the subject at hand…

This is just another unintended consequence of Obamacare. (or maybe it was intended)

Corporations now have a vested interest in their employee’s behavior outside of work. CVS is calling it a penalty if an employee chooses not to get a screening. Savvy companies increase the employee contribution on their healthcare plan and then extend discounts or rewards to employees who partake in the voluntary screening.

The intension here is to help people make better choices. Unfortunately some of the greatest atrocities in the history of mankind where started with good intensions.

As noted on nationwide radio yesterday, a businessman remarked recently:

"When my employees objected to deductions made mandatory by the Obama regime, they got angry with my company!"

More underinformed voters "at work"...

"Corporations now have a vested interest in their employee’s behavior outside of work. CVS is calling it a penalty if an employee chooses not to get a screening. Savvy companies increase the employee contribution on their healthcare plan and then extend discounts or rewards to employees who partake in the voluntary screening."

Well said OL.

There goes 65% of business profits—where?

Likely, overseas...

http://www.breitbart.com/InstaBlog/2013/03/20/Obamacare-May-Cost-Small-Business-Whiners-65-of-Annual-Profits