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See also: Health Care "Wellness" programs at US companies with programs that are partially employer paid. Step 1: Raise rates for every participant (individual

See also: Health Care "Wellness" programs at US companies with programs that are partially employer paid. Step 1: Raise rates for every participant (individuals, families) Step 2: Demand list of health metrics and personal info, often requiring bloodwork Step 3: Give discount to participants, use X, Y, Z tactics to "improve" health of participants (i.e. make numbers better) Step 4: Convince everybody this is a great idea

Mikerad1979 11y ago
They don't even use step 4. They just raise the "non-participation" penalty so high that you, for all intents and purposes, have to participate. The company I work for charges a $50 per week penalty for not participating.
- jacquesm 11y ago
  I'd happily cease to participate in working there if that happened to me.
  - abawany 11y ago
    Unfortunately in the US, the lack of good health insurance options in spite of Affordable Care Act (ACA) means that even after paying the penalty for opting out of soul-crushing health tracking, it is probably still cheaper to work for a company for a company-subsidized health plan than to pay for it all oneself :(.
- mikeash 11y ago
  I'm unfamiliar with these programs. What does participation entail?
  - deleted 11y ago
    [deleted]
  - Wingman4l7 11y ago
    I know someone who works for Blizzard; if they wear a Fitbit and meet the goal set on it, they get a healthcare discount or a small cash kickback, I forget which. Found a detailed presentation of the incentive plan here: http://www.myablife.com/files/HIP-Presentation.pdf http://www.myablife.com/files/HIP-Presentation.pdf
  - Mikerad1979 11y ago
    For mine, participation entails a yearly health screening. The screening measures blood pressure, BMI, nicotine usage, and cholesterol (via a blood draw). Depending on the findings, you fall into 1 of 3 tiers, which results in a penalty on every pay check if you don't fall into the numbers.
jgalt212 11y ago
Of course this is junk, but what's more junk is that your employment is tied to health insurance. America should have combo of single payer and private. You can get either regardless of your employment status and/or how generous your employer feels like being.
- Wingman4l7 11y ago
  Yeah, I always thought that was insane. If you had a medical emergency when you were out of work (and with no insurance coverage), it would cost the most, precisely when you could afford it the least.

Mikerad1979 11y ago

They don't even use step 4. They just raise the "non-participation" penalty so high that you, for all intents and purposes, have to participate. The company I work for charges a $50 per week penalty for not participating.

jacquesm 11y ago
I'd happily cease to participate in working there if that happened to me.
- abawany 11y ago
  Unfortunately in the US, the lack of good health insurance options in spite of Affordable Care Act (ACA) means that even after paying the penalty for opting out of soul-crushing health tracking, it is probably still cheaper to work for a company for a company-subsidized health plan than to pay for it all oneself :(.
mikeash 11y ago
I'm unfamiliar with these programs. What does participation entail?
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]
- Wingman4l7 11y ago
  I know someone who works for Blizzard; if they wear a Fitbit and meet the goal set on it, they get a healthcare discount or a small cash kickback, I forget which. Found a detailed presentation of the incentive plan here: http://www.myablife.com/files/HIP-Presentation.pdf http://www.myablife.com/files/HIP-Presentation.pdf
- Mikerad1979 11y ago
  For mine, participation entails a yearly health screening. The screening measures blood pressure, BMI, nicotine usage, and cholesterol (via a blood draw). Depending on the findings, you fall into 1 of 3 tiers, which results in a penalty on every pay check if you don't fall into the numbers.

jgalt212 11y ago

Of course this is junk, but what's more junk is that your employment is tied to health insurance. America should have combo of single payer and private. You can get either regardless of your employment status and/or how generous your employer feels like being.

Wingman4l7 11y ago
Yeah, I always thought that was insane. If you had a medical emergency when you were out of work (and with no insurance coverage), it would cost the most, precisely when you could afford it the least.