Could money motivate healthy behaviour?

[eliza61]

This is an off shoot of the soda tax thread.

A few large companies including mine, offer what some people are calling a "skinny" credit. Basically I can earn any where from 5-15% reduction on my health insurance premiums if I keep certain health indicators in a good range.
If I keep my weight within the AMA BMI range for my height and age I get points same with cholesterol and BP. If I quit smoking that's a biggies. more points you get, the bigger the discount.

I do have to fill out paper work 2X's a year for verification but it's pretty easy.

Of course it's not without controversy. Over weight employees naturally say it's unfair.

So if lowering obesity or changing unhealthy habits is truly the goal ( I think the soda tax is about revenue mainly) could incentatives work?

 

[eliza61]

Oh I have Aetna health insurance. they say they have done studies showing healthy employees cost less in the long run and that's is why they are offering this.

 

[chisnpeke]

I think this could be a good idea. Stay in a healthy weight (not underweight) and you get a discount.

I also think the morbidly obese (those who have health problems directly linked to their weight) should pay a higher amount. I know a good majority of the population is overweight and I don't think they should be punished, just the ones who are causing health costs to go up directly because of their weight.

 

[Jennasis]

Money can motivate ANYTHING.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Enough money? Yes. NY raised the cigarette taxes so much that a pack of cigarettes almost tripled in cost. Many people were forced to reconsider that habit, or at least cut back. A few cents will not change anything. Cigarette taxes before that jump were already more than $.50/pack with no effect.

If you want to get people to make these kind of choices, you have to inflict more financial pain than the pain brought on by the change, or offer a great enough incentive to make dealing with the change palatable.

 

[Pakey]

I don't know how motivating it is. Everyone on my staff, with the exception of one person, is overweight. After installing a nice gym with showers, TV's, music, etc that no one uses, the President and I decided to offer each employee $25 for every pound lost (on the honor system, nobody was going to have to disclose weight). Not one person was interested.

 

[FireDancer]

I like a credit for good behavior better then a punishment for bad behavior.

As for whether it will motivate people, I think money does motivate short term but if the person doesn't have the willpower to make the life change necessary for long term health they will revert back to the bad habits and lose the credit. Look how many people yo-yo diet because they can't stick to it. When people try to make big life changes like diet, smoking, drinking, or drugs they are much more likely to succeed if they change (or quit) because they really want to change or quit. To do it for money isn't the same as doing it for you and I don't think it will end in long term success for the majority of people who do.

The reward is being more healthy, not money in the pocket. That is just a bonus.

We do have very good medical coverage here which includes a health committee, free gym memberships, diet and lifestyle seminars, and an annual health day during which we can get all of our vitals checked. In management it is pretty hard to get hired if you aren't at least in decent physical shape. Our executives are very fit and include one who cycles (including a couple of SF to NYC cross country rides) and one who does ultra marathons. When you look at the corporate employees very few are out of shape and even they are only a few pounds over weight.

We did enact a very strict non-smoking policy which includes even our parking lot.

 

[adkkev]

I don't know how motivating it is. Everyone on my staff, with the exception of one person, is overweight. After installing a nice gym with showers, TV's, music, etc that no one uses, the President and I decided to offer each employee $25 for every pound lost (on the honor system, nobody was going to have to disclose weight). Not one person was interested.

Then you and your president need to start charging them more for their health insurance (if you provide it) ... and then inform them that their rates will come down when they meet certain health guidelines.

 

[eliza61]

I don't know how motivating it is. Everyone on my staff, with the exception of one person, is overweight. After installing a nice gym with showers, TV's, music, etc that no one uses, the President and I decided to offer each employee $25 for every pound lost (on the honor system, nobody was going to have to disclose weight). Not one person was interested.

Really? my job was/is just the opposite. We've got about 6 "biggest losers" contest going on. If your insurance bill is 4K a year, getting $400 bucks back is enouh to get people going.

 

[m&m's mom]

Yes, I would definitely be motivted by money and I think it is a great idea!
On the other side, I was at a local grocery store (Tom Thum, Randalls, Safeway etc) and there was an older man who worked there sitting on the bench next to the blood pressure machine. He had his eyes closed and was very still. He heard me close by and opened his eyes. I looked questioningly at him because I was not sure he was ok. He smiled and said he was trying to calm down as much as possible before he checked his BP again since their rates were influenced by their health readings and he could not afford an increase in what he has to pay.
Tom Thumb also hires a decent number of challenged employees and I would think that could increase their overall claims as well.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

Hmmm...maybe. The place I worked when I lived in OH gave everyone $75 a month if they went to the gym at least 5 times a month (you had a sheet of paper to be initialed by the person at the front desk with the date). I worked in a department with about a dozen other women. I was the only one who participated. They also paid $75 a month for parking (I worked in downtown Cincinnati) regardless of how much your parking cost. All of the parking garages were $100-$150 a month within 1-4 blocks of the building where I worked and $50-75 a little further out. I found a lot for $35 a month about a mile and a half from where I worked. So I figured it was good exercise (and I wasn't having to walk through the bad parts of Cincy) and I made some money. When I told the other women I worked with they would always laugh at me like it was the most ridiculous thing they've ever heard. They ALL parked at the garages within 1-4 blocks (and they were also all overweight). I think sometimes money can motivate the right people but other's don't think it's worth it or it's never enough money for the effort.

 

[FergieTCat]

I think this could be a good idea. Stay in a healthy weight (not underweight) and you get a discount.

I also think the morbidly obese (those who have health problems directly linked to their weight) should pay a higher amount. I know a good majority of the population is overweight and I don't think they should be punished, just the ones who are causing health costs to go up directly because of their weight.

If that's the case, shouldn't anyone who is causing healthcare costs to go up be "punished"? After all, there are alot of people out there whose healthcare costs more than the average "healthy" person.

Be careful what you wish for.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

If that's the case, shouldn't anyone who is causing healthcare costs to go up be "punished"? After all, there are alot of people out there whose healthcare costs more than the average "healthy" person.

Be careful what you wish for.

In essence that is what it is, really. You can thinly veil it and call it a reward system however it is not. That is a matter of perception. Nice to market it as a reward system though.

I don't know if it is an ethical thing to do. My 18yodd has a repaired heart defect. Open heart surgery can disqualify you for a lot things.

Let's say she is within the numbers but is disqualified for a lower premium because of her medical history? What about someone who is wheelchair bound?

I guess I can see it as a benefit if they do it fairly and take out pre-exisiting conditions or give someone time to heal from a broken leg or a medical condition.

Sounds pretty messy....

 

[Pakey]

If that's the case, shouldn't anyone who is causing healthcare costs to go up be "punished"? After all, there are alot of people out there whose healthcare costs more than the average "healthy" person.

Be careful what you wish for.

I agree. Although I have a staff of overweight people, I'm the one causing the premiums to go up with my advanced stage breast cancer. I don't smoke and I'm not overweight but still, I did get cancer.

 

[chisnpeke]

If that's the case, shouldn't anyone who is causing healthcare costs to go up be "punished"? After all, there are alot of people out there whose healthcare costs more than the average "healthy" person.

Be careful what you wish for.

Not if they can help it. If you smoke, your premiums should go up. If you don't, you should get a discount.

For things that people can't help (cancer, diseases, disorders) they should not be punished.

A lot of the time being morbidly obese is the fault of the person who is inflicted with it. I realize that there are occasions where it is not the person's fault and they have a medical condition causing them to be that overweight but in other cases, you should be charged more. I'm sorry but it is absolutely insane the amount of truly morbidly obese people this country has. Riding around in a scooter because you are too large to walk is something I see far too often.

 

[jt'smom]

Not if they can help it. If you smoke, your premiums should go up. If you don't, you should get a discount.

For things that people can't help (cancer, diseases, disorders) they should not be punished.

A lot of the time being morbidly obese is the fault of the person who is inflicted with it. I realize that there are occasions where it is not the person's fault and they have a medical condition causing them to be that overweight but in other cases, you should be charged more. I'm sorry but it is absolutely insane the amount of truly morbidly obese people this country has. Riding around in a scooter because you are too large to walk is something I see far too often.

this mindset always amazes me. first of all, you are being mighty judgemental about who uses a scooter, why do you care? but anyway, i'd like to pose a question to you... my sister-in-law is 5'4" and weighs 300 lbs, she is never sick, goes once a year for a checkup and has normal blood pressure, and has high "good" cholesterol, very low "bad" cholesterol, low triglycerides and leads a fairly active lifestyle. i have a brainstem tumor that has delibitated me significantly over the past 8 years, i'm rarely sick (i've only been to the doctor once in the past 3 years, and that was for a uti), i've had no treatment for my tumor save a biopsy at diagnosis, i don't even get mri's anymore since my tumor can't be treated, i've gained some weight, mostly since i can't really stand up well, basically i cost my insurance company zero. my mother-in-law has had 3 bouts with recurrent breast cancer over the last 20 years, has been on a weekly "maintenance chemo" for the past 9 years, has had numerous surgeries to remove pop-up tumors on her chest wall, had reconstructive surgery, then had it all removed again, goes to the doctor at least once a week, actually has to see about 6 different types of specialists because all of the chemo and radiation she has done has really destroyed her bones, heart and other organs, has had both knees replaced TWICE, and essentially will go to as many doctors as possible until she hears what she wants to hear--which usually involves being put on some new, trial drug that runs about $10k a month (that she will get for free through the pharmacutical company's charity program).

following your "fat people are the scourge of society and will drain us all financially" mentality, i'm guessing you would think my sister-in-law should pay higher rates? that's funny to me since she costs the health system virtually no money, and my mom-in-law costs the taxpayers hundreds of thousands through medicare. she hit her 2 million lifetime benefit a long time ago for her employer sponsored retiree plan.

 

[FergieTCat]

Not if they can help it. If you smoke, your premiums should go up. If you don't, you should get a discount.

For things that people can't help (cancer, diseases, disorders) they should not be punished.

A lot of the time being morbidly obese is the fault of the person who is inflicted with it. I realize that there are occasions where it is not the person's fault and they have a medical condition causing them to be that overweight but in other cases, you should be charged more. I'm sorry but it is absolutely insane the amount of truly morbidly obese people this country has. Riding around in a scooter because you are too large to walk is something I see far too often.

I know how I want to answer this, but I don't know how to word it without offending a lot of people and possibly getting myself banned from this board, so I am not going to say what I am thinking.

I will say that I do not agree with your answer and that there are many sides to this argument.

 

[Becky2005]

I don't know. My son would be in trouble because he got his BMI from school and it said he was UNDERweight. I laughed my rear off because the whole point of the BMI apparently was to get the overweight kids to slim down or whatever since apparently only obese kids are in school.

You don't know HOW long it took me to convince DD she wasn't fat because all she kept hearing on the news, in school, everywhere was that they were changing the school lunches due to the childhood obesity problem. We couldn't even get her gym shorts the first year of middle school since they didn't make shorts small enough for her!!! Luckily, that year it was optional to get the ones they offered since there were no drawstrings in the ones they offered. The following year they changed it but at least the required ones had drawstrings. She's a Sophomore now still wearing the same gym shirt we bought her in 7th grade. This year is the first year it doesn't look insanely big on her. We might actually have to buy her a new one next year.

So, what do you do with the person who is naturally skinny via metabolism? Since their BMI would say they are underweight -- do they get incentives for eating junk food to put weight on?

It just would get really complicated but I'm sure in the guise of "it's good for everyone therefore you must do this" will be used.

 

[Handbag Lady]

Didn't work for me at work.

We have a program that, if you register and do things to change yourself/eating habits/excerise and have someone call on you to "coach" you, you can have a few pennies deducted from your health insurance costs.

I did it last year. I earned $100 for the whole year and the "coaches" were annoying and made me feel bad for not doing everything they wanted. I started out okay, but when I fell off the wagon they were just bothersome.

They upped the amount this year between $100 to $400 (the more you were willing to put up with, the more money you'd get) but I declined to join.

Someone just needs to make healthy food taste better.


ETA: Will power has NOTHING to do with my weight. I quit smoking cold turkey and every few weeks/months I STILL have the urge to smoke yet I don't. It is something else and I don't know what it is. I would like to weigh less if anyone can tell me what the problem is exactly.

 

[minkydog]

I don't know how motivating it is. Everyone on my staff, with the exception of one person, is overweight. After installing a nice gym with showers, TV's, music, etc that no one uses, the President and I decided to offer each employee $25 for every pound lost (on the honor system, nobody was going to have to disclose weight). Not one person was interested.

Holy cow! I've lost 50-lbs since last April. That's $1250. Can I apply?