Some insurance companies will offer a discount on the cost of your health insurance premium if you have been taking good care of yourself. Recently, employers who offer group health insurance to their employees have also started offering incentives that will lower the cost of the premiums for employees who participate in wellness programs. Are incentives a way of rewarding good behavior, or a way of punishing those who do not comply? What do you think?
There are plenty of things that a person can do to improve his or her health. I think we can all agree that exercise is good for you, even if you are a person who absolutely hates to exercise. Let’s face it: most of us would be healthier if we lost a few pounds.
We know that a diet that includes plenty of fresh vegetables is better for you than a diet that consists mostly of burgers and fries from your favorite fast food place. Your doctor can tell you what changes you need to make to your diet, and your lifestyle, in order to manage whatever specific condition, disease, or disorder you may have. We have all heard the warnings about the harm that can be done to our bodies if we smoke or drink alcohol. As adults, we can make our own choices about how well, or how poorly, we choose to take care of ourselves.
Employers who offer health insurance to their employees are now allowed to offer rewards, or incentives, that encourage their employees to get healthy, and to stay healthy. The employer can knock off 30%, or 50%, off the cost of the premium that a healthy employee is paying for health insurance. The exact amount will vary with each company.
Or, the employer might offer a point system, that will allow an employee to earn certain perks or specific rewards. An employee can earn points by participating in a wellness program, or by hitting a target goal for his or her weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, or BMI. Hitting the gym on a regular basis, or quitting smoking might be a way to earn points as well. Rewards might include anything from the discount on the cost of premiums, to a few hundred dollars in cash. It all depends on what behaviors the employer wants to encourage, and what rewards the employees find to be motivating enough for them to make some serious lifestyle changes.
Keep in mind, though, that employers aren’t offering incentives out of the goodness of their hearts. It costs more money to cover the health care needs of employees who are severely ill, who have a chronic illness. A person who has diabetes cost their insurance company more money than a person who does not. It has been said that obesity is the cause of several health problems that can be avoided if the person loses weight. The employer is using an incentive program to keep down the costs of insurance.
Some would argue that incentive programs can stigmatize workers who choose not to participate, or who are unable to do so. What happens if you join the wellness program, but still cannot lose enough weight to hit the target goal? Will employees who have chronic illnesses be passed over for promotions, or quietly encouraged to leave the company? The answers are not as clear. What do you think about employers who offer incentives on health insurance?
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