Health Survey Gives Oregon Workers Weight Option

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People need to not be offending by this. Wellness initiatives can help lower premium costs. As the article says:

“The 2013 Health Engagement Model will ask state workers to complete an online health assessment and then perform two wellness activities.

The activities can include taking an online wellness lesson, receive a needed health screening such as a mammogram or colonoscopy, or participate in a physical activity challenge. Employees required to join a smoking cessation program or weight management program based on the results of their health assessment can count those activities toward their goal of two.

People who successfully participate receive an extra $17.50 in their monthly paychecks. People who don’t will have an extra $100 added to their medical deductible.”

So share your waist measurement or BMI, and particpate in 2 wellness activities/screenings and get a premium savings in YOUR paycheck. Or don’t. And have a higher deductible.

You’re not being judged based on the measurement, you just need to provide it.

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BMI is an unfortunate fallacy–most clearly demonstrated by Penn Jillette (of Penn & Teller) on national TV.

Penn appears on stage. If you don’t know who Penn is, he’s a fairly famous comedian, magician and actor. He’s also not a small guy. He’s fairly tall, and definitely on the hefty side.

Penn announces that he has an issue with BMI being a fallacy. (he uses a less PC word…) To explain, he ushers out another man onto stage.

This guy is ripped. Maybe 3-4% body fat, and his muscles appear to have muscles. He goes to stand right next to Penn.

Penn: You know why BMI is a bunch of BS? This man (pointing to Mr. Muscles) and I have the same. Exact. BMI.

And that is why, ladies and gentlemen, BMI is a waste of time.

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You guys are not reading things correctly. The proposed wellness initiative does not penalize people based on their results. It does not penalize people based on their BMI or waist measurement or if you do a smoking cessation or wellness program. It is NOT discrimination.

You simply do the online wellness survey and participate in 2 wellness activities (such as having an annual physical or screening, taking an online wellness course, participating in a weight loss or smoking cessation program if it could be of benefit – there are many options). It is all tracked by the health insurance company, not your employer. And if you do the online screening and 2 activities, you get $ back on your paycheck.

The individual results NEVER get back to your employer. They don’t know WHICH activities you did and they don’t know the outcome. I have seen the reports that employers get back on wellness and claims – no person is identified and no names are tacked on. It’s just a way of trying to put an incentive on getting/staying healthy for your employees.

Again, your boss does NOT know your results, and the point is to make wellness programs AVAILABLE and get employees INVOLVED in their wellbeing.