Health Care Provider Penalizes Fatties

Mmm... Lean Cuisine Butternut Squash Ravioli...

Nah, I just can't see Homer Simpson saying that.

The big mistake they made is how they presented this. What they should have said is that they are offering a discount to people who meet healthy weight, cholesterol and blood pressure guidelines. Then they have a public relations victory instead of getting bad press. I do think that some people may be more motivated by having to pay than for health sake to get in shape. The thing is that there are so many lifestyle choices that effect healthcare costs. What about smokers? Drinkers? etc.

Locamama, companies (particularly hospitals and other medical facilities) are aready starting to ban smokers, not just smoking in the workplace. Here's one article from here in Detroit:

http://www.detnews.com/2005/metro/0501/27/A01-71823.htm

I think it's a good idea to offer discounts to people who are healthy; that's like getting a better deal on your car insurance because you're a safe driver. But to say that fat people are going to be charged an extra $60 per month because they're fat is only going to make fat people feel victimized.

singrdave, have you ever read The New Glucose Revolution? It's helped me lose over 50 lbs without having to eat Lean Cuisine or feeling like I'm deprived, because it's not a diet. It helps you create balanced meals that will metabolize more efficiently.

In a word: bullshiiite.

Oh yeah, this will surely work...now all the fat working people on that plan will definitely get thin! What a load a bull!

They're not trying to get people thin, they're trying to get more money. Balance the risk, etc.

Oh yeah, this will surely work...now all the fat working people on that plan will definitely get thin!

According to the article, they will check with their subscribers regularly to see if they have lost the weight required for reduced rates. How nice of them.

Will they pay for the extra official check-ups required to make sure you're within the limits?

Another thing I gotta admit, where is the line drawn? Will they start penalizing people for ethnically-related diseases such as anemia?

But for a health care company to actually penalize someone for obesity... unfair? Discriminatory?

Actuarial

What they should have said is that they are offering a discount to people who meet healthy weight, cholesterol and blood pressure guidelines. Then they have a public relations victory instead of getting bad press.

And Loca is right.  It would have been smarter to say discount instead of penalty.

But I thought we weren't supposed to penalize anyone for "lifestyle choices". ;~D

Until Clarian Health Partners penalize people who ride in cars and take prescription medications, they are no different than the bully making fun of the fat kid at recess.

 

But for a health care company to actually penalize someone for obesity... unfair? Discriminatory?

Singrdave:

I could be wrong here but it seems that you may have actually misunderstood your own article. Here you say they penalize for being obese but from your own article you state this:

As introduced by Clarian Health Partners in Indiana, obese people will be penalized for their "lifestyle choices".

Now, I'm all for not penalizing people who can't keep the fat off for physical reasons, they are either big boned by nature or have a physical disorder that makes them fat even if they diet and exercise, but if the problem is for lack of trying or as you put it a "lifestyle choice" than for their benefit both physically and mentally, this may not be such a bad idea. It seems that at times people have to be forced to take care of themselves rather than hope they do. It sucks to think how fewer people would not have to spend so much time at a doctors office or a hospital if they simply stopped or never started smoking.

What they should have said is that they are offering a discount to people who meet healthy weight, cholesterol and blood pressure guidelines. Then they have a public relations victory instead of getting bad press.

And Loca is right. It would have been smarter to say discount instead of penalty.

While I agree with both you and Loca that a discount sounds like a good idea, I have to say Loca may have jumped the gun here or ignored the part where it says this:

Others, citing growing medical costs tied to obesity, are offering fit workers lucrative incentives that shave thousands of dollars a year off health care premiums.

Again, it's a great idea to offer a discount which also reduces bad press, but lets not forget that some are actually giving incentives for being thin. Then again, would this not be unfair for those who can not lose weight due to physical disorders or simply because they are naturally big?

But I thought we weren't supposed to penalize anyone for "lifestyle choices". ;~D Until Clarian Health Partners penalize people who ride in cars and take prescription medications, they are no different than the bully making fun of the fat kid at recess.

You make a good point, seems we can't decide when we allow lifestyle choices and when we shouldn't. I may take back this part:

but if the problem is for lack of trying or as you put it a "lifestyle choice" than for their benefit both physically and mentally, this may not be such a bad idea.

Again, it's a great idea to offer a discount which also reduces bad press, but lets not forget that some are actually giving incentives for being thin. Then again, would this not be unfair for those who can not lose weight due to physical disorders or simply because they are naturally big?

Loca's Idea, and my hurrah actually is just a matter of semantics.  The cost to the provider is the same, but the public impression is 180 degrees.  For those who have a problem that is medical that does not allow them to get thin, they are not hurt any more than before.  And they dont "get" anything.  The way the company phrased it however, no one "gets" anything, but some lose.

Charles:

I could be wrong here but it seems that you may have actually misunderstood your own article. Here you say they penalize for being obese but from your own article you state this: As introduced by Clarian Health Partners in Indiana, obese people will be penalized for their "lifestyle choices". Now, I'm all for not penalizing people who can't keep the fat off for physical reasons, they are either big boned by nature or have a physical disorder that makes them fat even if they diet and exercise, but if the problem is for lack of trying or as you put it a "lifestyle choice" than for their benefit both physically and mentally, this may not be such a bad idea.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor.

Opinion: it takes a serious medical condition to be physically unable to lose weight. Whether it's a chronic thyroid condition or the side effect of heavy medication, there are very few actual reasons for weight gain. I personally believe that my own weight problem is my own problem, only the side effect of overeating. (There's no such thing as big boned... what a lame cop-out.) That's why I labeled this action by Clarian Health Partners as penalizing a "lifestyle choice".

I just felt this policy would hit people where it really hurts: their wallets... and their self-images.

I just felt this policy would hit people where it really hurts: their wallets... and their self-images.

Well, your feelings are correct. The insurance company does want to hit your wallet. What's at stake here for Insurance companies is that they have to pay more money for procedures for fat people (bipass surgery, etc) than they do for thin people. In their minds, they are only trying to make a profit by charging people who would naturally have more procedures more money.

This is good business sense. Nothing more.

And how can discrimination against fat people be a crime, or be unfair? In certain states, smokers are not allowed to enter any buildings while smoking. This is just as "bad" in the sense that people are punished based on their life-habits.

To summarize:

If you eat a lot of food, are obese, and don't take care of the problem, insurance will compensate by taking care of your future health problems via your wallet. It's smart, legal business sense.

Next you'll see insurance companies treating obesity as a pre-existing condition, therefore any ailments said to be related to obesity are not covered... yet still chraging $60 more to 'cover' these people, when really all they are doing is denying coverage and taking their money.

I am 6 ft 2 inches tall and weigh 205 and according to the latest BMI. {body mass Index} I am overweight by 20 pounds, Will Smith the actor is labeled obese by the BMI for his weight to height ratio. bah!

Interesting, but that's not what I found on the Internet:



Big-Boned: * S: (adj) big-boned (having a bone structure that is massive in contrast with the surrounding flesh)

WordNet home page

If it's all muscle, are you still overweight?

Between the ears? Or all over the body?

My brain is 3.7 pounds.

I am 6 ft 2 inches tall and weigh 205 and according to the latest BMI. {body mass Index} I am overweight by 20 pounds, Will Smith the actor is labeled obese by the BMI for his weight to height ratio. bah!

Ugh. And I used to think that BMI was valid. I doubt that Will Smith is unhealthy.

I googled for an alternate to BMI and this sounds more plausible:

http://qjmed.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/93/9/589#top

Nothing is plausible. People are different. Indexing them does not make them any more or less healthy. Rough guidelines is all you have, but actuarial science is fine by that, because they can come up with statistics based on the BMI, because it's reproducable. 10% in this range have claims, 20% in this range, 50% in this range, etc. So you can come up with a rate difference, but whether it actually will work is another thing.

Reply By: CariElfPosted: Tuesday, July 31, 2007
I am 6 ft 2 inches tall and weigh 205 and according to the latest BMI. {body mass Index} I am overweight by 20 pounds, Will Smith the actor is labeled obese by the BMI for his weight to height ratio. bah!


Ugh. And I used to think that BMI was valid. I doubt that Will Smith is unhealthy.

I googled for an alternate to BMI and this sounds more plausible:

http://qjmed.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/93/9/589#top[/quote]

I will check this out, thank you