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Here's the dilemma. How do employers control medical expenses? And then as an employee, why don't i get incentives for having healthy blood pressure levels, pe

by adrr 12y ago

Here's the dilemma. How do employers control medical expenses? And then as an employee, why don't i get incentives for having healthy blood pressure levels, perfect cholesterol levels, a normal BMI? Our society is increasing becoming obese and our health care spending is spiring out of control. Something has to give. We have a really weird system where employers pay for our healthcare which is why see these wellness programs which people deem creepy.

revelation 12y ago
Why are employers linked to healthcare? The idea is clearly insane, if you consider the recent court cases about christian companies (an oxymoron in itself) denying to pay for contraception (as part of the health plan, which contents are increasingly regulated). This isn't how it works in countries with functioning public healthcare systems.
- mikestew 12y ago
  > Why are employers linked to healthcare? The idea is clearly insane Because socialism is evil: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_insurance_in_the_United_States#The_rise_of_employer-sponsored_coverage https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_insurance_in_the_United... I mean, it's trite but that's what it boiled down to. Truman had the idea of a an optional, government-backed health plan. Someone trots the magic "socialism" trigger word, and labor unions settled for employer-provided health insurance instead. (Though I wonder how Truman's plan would be self-sustaining if it were optional. We have enough problems financing not-optional plans.)
VLM 12y ago
"why don't i get incentives for having healthy" Your incentive is health and a long active retirement, rather than keeling over dead on the job at 35. (And edited to add that there's an obvious conflict of interest in that the pension (LOL) or 401K dept wants you to die as young as possible, whereas the health insurance wants you to avoid acute illnesses (dead in 10 yrs is fine, because you'll be working elsewhere by then, statistically)) Note that non-employees like employers or .mil people or whatever all have the same incentive. Sucks to be sick, or dead. "Here's the dilemma. How do employers control medical expenses?" Employer provided health insurance is a WWII thing, and only in America. In the long run no employers will offer health insurance, just like the old days. That doesn't necessarily mean no health care, or no health insurance middlemen, but does imply no more employer involvement. These things come and go in phases and much like company stores and unions are not exactly at their high point of popularity right now, its time to sunset employer provided health care. Perhaps they'll all be back in the future, just not anytime soon. Economics are getting rid of that benefit faster than creepy wellness programs are spreading. I expect to be uninsured (by my employer, anyway) sooner than I'll be required to join a wellness program, so we'll just avoid it for awhile longer and then the problem will go away.
deleted 12y ago
[deleted]
r00fus 12y ago
By fostering a culture of healthy lifestyles? I don't know about other employers, but where I work, there's a big social impetus to be active - it's part of the watercooler talk - and either you have something exercise/sport related you discuss, lie about it, or just don't participate. Similarly in this vein are the pedometer/activity challenges where employees compete for the most steps/activity/etc. I think positive social motivators can be a generally positive way of getting the worker populace more healthy.

by adrr 12y ago

revelation 12y ago

Why are employers linked to healthcare? The idea is clearly insane, if you consider the recent court cases about christian companies (an oxymoron in itself) denying to pay for contraception (as part of the health plan, which contents are increasingly regulated). This isn't how it works in countries with functioning public healthcare systems.

mikestew 12y ago
> Why are employers linked to healthcare? The idea is clearly insane Because socialism is evil: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_insurance_in_the_United_States#The_rise_of_employer-sponsored_coverage https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_insurance_in_the_United... I mean, it's trite but that's what it boiled down to. Truman had the idea of a an optional, government-backed health plan. Someone trots the magic "socialism" trigger word, and labor unions settled for employer-provided health insurance instead. (Though I wonder how Truman's plan would be self-sustaining if it were optional. We have enough problems financing not-optional plans.)

VLM 12y ago

"why don't i get incentives for having healthy" Your incentive is health and a long active retirement, rather than keeling over dead on the job at 35. (And edited to add that there's an obvious conflict of interest in that the pension (LOL) or 401K dept wants you to die as young as possible, whereas the health insurance wants you to avoid acute illnesses (dead in 10 yrs is fine, because you'll be working elsewhere by then, statistically)) Note that non-employees like employers or .mil people or whatever all have the same incentive. Sucks to be sick, or dead. "Here's the dilemma. How do employers control medical expenses?" Employer provided health insurance is a WWII thing, and only in America. In the long run no employers will offer health insurance, just like the old days. That doesn't necessarily mean no health care, or no health insurance middlemen, but does imply no more employer involvement. These things come and go in phases and much like company stores and unions are not exactly at their high point of popularity right now, its time to sunset employer provided health care. Perhaps they'll all be back in the future, just not anytime soon. Economics are getting rid of that benefit faster than creepy wellness programs are spreading. I expect to be uninsured (by my employer, anyway) sooner than I'll be required to join a wellness program, so we'll just avoid it for awhile longer and then the problem will go away.

deleted 12y ago

[deleted]

r00fus 12y ago

By fostering a culture of healthy lifestyles? I don't know about other employers, but where I work, there's a big social impetus to be active - it's part of the watercooler talk - and either you have something exercise/sport related you discuss, lie about it, or just don't participate. Similarly in this vein are the pedometer/activity challenges where employees compete for the most steps/activity/etc. I think positive social motivators can be a generally positive way of getting the worker populace more healthy.