The idea is to encourage employees to act responsibly, lose weight and lower their health care needs. But critics say it will humiliate and stigmatize obese employees and amounts to nothing short of a "fat tax."
A BMI test uses height and weight measurements to calculate the percentage of body fat in adult males and females. Alabama is using a BMI threshold of 35 — 30 is considered obese, by most medical standards — to determine who doesn't have to pay the automatic $25 deduction."
Just where do you fall in the BMI test - click here.
As you can probably guess, the critics are calling it: a punitive "fat tax" designed to stigmatize the obese by inappropriately — and possibly illegally — bringing weight into the workplace. PLEASE !!! they don't pay anything for single health insurance and if they can't control what they are eating and exercise a little they have to pay a whole $25 a month for their health insurance.
Before I get too many comments from some of you, I fully know the potential global or wide spread issues that decision could mean for all workplaces. But, is that a bad thing? We have allowed health insurance plans to charge smokers more for their coverage and life insurance and is some case we have even not allowed them to participate in the health plan because they smoke.
Often, obesity is a choice. If someone is obese, 9 times out of 10 it is not because they have some freakin' disease that has made them that way... it is a personal choice of not exercising and not eating right. Now, I am not a very healthy person nor am I a skinny person (as some of you know). However, I do believe in personal accountability and it is about time this nation and its residents start taking responsibility for their own actions.
For example, if you eat fast food three (3) days a week AND you sit your ass in front of the TV every-night you are making a CHOICE !!!! a choice NOT TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. You deserve to pay more for your health care because it has been proven that obesity leads to Type II Diabetes, which leads to more and more healthcare dollars being spent. Check out the information from the Centers for Disease Control, specifically the obesity trends !
I applaud the Alabama State government for having the balls to take this action and I hope we see more health insurance providers taking similar actions. Maybe if we get hit in our pocket books we will start paying attention to what we do and what we eat.
For what it's worth.... Politically Incorrect HR
