NC to impose 'fat tax' and smoking tax on State Employees!

[irunnoft]

In a way, I rue the day I left Florida and moved to North Carolina. I just thought it was bad when teachers didn't receive a cost of living increase or a step increase in pay from last year (no increase in salary at all). I also thought it was underhanded when they did not pay out the NCLB bonuses to teachers who earned it last year (our school made the AYP/NCLB guidelines for the first time in 12 years and we got zip). Now, I wake up this morning to the news that State Employees are about to be forced to pay higher premiums for health care if they smoke or are obese! So. . . let me get this straight. . . we're in the throes of the worst economy in decades, teachers as well as other state employees received absolutely NO increase in pay and now we will have to actually pay more for health care if we are obese or if we smoke?!! I'm not a smoker; I quit over 13 years ago, but I still am outraged over this. I'm not obese either, but I'm not exactly rail thin, either. This is a slippery slope NC is traveling down. I don't agree with State or Government stepping into the role of parent. As I understand it, employees will have to be examined by nurses for blood pressure, body mass index and endure some sort of throat swab to check for some chemical that would indicate tobacco use. Talk about degrading and demoralizing. Yes. . . every person who is fat is fat because the choose to be. That's right! That's what we want to be! This has had me burning all day. Sorry for kvetching here on the boards, but it was either that or just plain go bonkers. The morale to the story - it will be coming to your state next!

 

[elemusing]

I teach in TN. They were supposed to impose the tobacco surcharge on our insurance in July, but for some reason it was postponed. I haven't received a raise more than 3% in 10 years. That = about $25 a month. Most years I make less because our health insurance goes up and I don't make enough of a raise to cover it. I know how you feel!

 

[bootc3]

Boo Hoo for those that smoke and are obese. If you are a poor driver who gets a lot of tickets or crashes your insurance goes up because you are a bigger risk. That is how insurance is suppose to work. Thank you for your work as a teacher but just because you work for a govt agency does not guarentee raises. There are many companies whose profits are down and they cut out raises. It is about time govt. spends our money more wisely.

 

[irunnoft]

. . .It is about time govt. spends our money more wisely.

I agree with you 100% there. When our state govt. can spend $400K on a teapot museum, there's a disconnect somewhere!

With regards to our pay raises- we actually are supposed to get those every year. It's based on years experience and when you're hired, you're shown the pay scale that shows those increases every year. A step increase is NOT a raise. The raise is something that may or may not happen every year. Usually, the raise is a small pittance - not enough to even cover the cost of living.

I had a start-up budget of zero dollars this year for my classroom. Buncombe County teachers received NO money with which to buy supplies. Usually, it's been $50. I've spent plenty of money out-of-pocket buying things that I need for my classroom (expo markers, dry-erase board cleaner, folders, notebook paper, pencils, pens, composition books, etc.). To add a burden to the load of the already burdened state employees is adding insult to injury. Taxing everything and everybody is NOT the answer to economic shortfalls in the budget. (Perhaps that's why Dell has pulled out of NC and left the illustrious Governor scrambling to recoup over $300 million in perks given them)

The 'fat tax' and the 'smoking tax' most likely won't effect me. That still doesn't make it right. I think that starting your post off with "Boo Hoo" was a bit childish, inflammatory, and, at best, insensitive.

 

[SGB13]

My husband is also a NC state employee and my parents are retirees. So this affects my whole family. My question is what is next. Genetic testing to see who is more likely to get cancer? No insurance for you. This is just the start of something much worse.
Higher copays and lower coverage for smokers and BMI over 35 is only a start. Soon they will deny insurance all together for whatever reason they decide too.

 

[dmccarty]

I agree that the tax on fat is over the top. Its based on BMI not actual FAT. You could be weight lifter with huge mass and not fat and the BMI will say your are obese. Its a stupid measurement.

It looks like EVERY state employee would have to submit to an exam to determine BMI and a mouth swab to prove you are smoke free. Its very intrusive on EVERY state employee.

On the other hand it is a bit insensitive complaining about not having a raise when so many NC tax payers have lost their jobs. And so many NC tax payers have had those jobs sent overseas through no fault of their own.

We should be thankful if we have a job. Raise or no raise. I have too many college educated friends who have lost their jobs due to offshoring. NC has lost too many jobs over the last decade or so as manufacturing jobs have been sent overseas.

If the taxpayer jobs are going away so will the jobs paid via taxes.

Later,
Dan

 

[robertgp124]

In WV public employees who participate in PEIA (Public Employee Insurance Agency) do have to pay a tobacco surcharge and certify that family members are tobacco free. In terms of obesity, while the state has not gone to this model, I do believe that WVU hospitals have (not certain).

In our case PEIA is aggressively offering wellness programs to help lose weight and keep it off, including subsidizing gym memberships, a nutritionist. It seems a sane approach.

 

[aspen37]

My work already makes you pay a higher insurance premium if you use tobacco. It isn't just smokers, you have a higher premium if you chew tobacco too.

 

[FigNewton]

Boo Hoo for those that smoke and are obese. If you are a poor driver who gets a lot of tickets or crashes your insurance goes up because you are a bigger risk. That is how insurance is suppose to work. Thank you for your work as a teacher but just because you work for a govt agency does not guarentee raises. There are many companies whose profits are down and they cut out raises. It is about time govt. spends our money more wisely.

State employees are notoriously underpaid. We often start at salaries that are a FRACTION of what is offered in private industry; very few things mitigate those low starting salaries.

I was making approximately HALF of what I should have been making when I graduated. But the "guaranteed by statute" 5% yearly increases were promised to make up for that. Turns out there's a loophole that allows the legislature to suspsend those increases through the budget. I got that increase one time, and ever since it's been between 1% and 3%. As a result 9 years later I'm still not making what I could have been making right out of college in private industry. But I'm pretty much stuck now.

It's not a "raise" in the traditional sense. It's just a different system. Pause for a moment to consider the facts of a system with which you are obviously unfamiliar.

 

[klam_chowder]

On the other hand it is a bit insensitive complaining about not having a raise when so many NC tax payers have lost their jobs. And so many NC tax payers have had those jobs sent overseas through no fault of their own.

We should be thankful if we have a job. Raise or no raise.

I agree with the way you've put this. Many in the private sector look at "gov't jobs" and envy the number of stat days off, wellness plans, vacation days, generous benefits, etc. This is not to say the work they do is not admirable or worthy of better compensation but times are grim.

DH's workplace lost entire divisions in one fell swoop last fall, those who were able to keep their jobs all experienced pay cuts! Forget about pay raises or COLA - we're thankful he has a job.

cheers,

 

[mainegal]

Oh, yes, nowadays we are all thankful for having a job. But I am so tired of hearing it.

I am a government employee. Small town municiple library. No pay raise. Budget freeze for all but essential items. No money for books since March.

I sort of understand health insurance premiums costing more for people who are a greater health risk and who will eventually cost more in health services. But I really wish health insurance would reward people for good health habits. Perhaps pay part of a gym membership.

 

[LMO429]

the chemicals, toxins, preservatives, pesticides that the govt allows in our food is the REAL reason WHY people in america are overweight!!!! The food we eat is truly TOXIC it leads to us being overweight, messes with our hormones, gives us cancer the list goes on and on and on.

I think eating organic and demanding our food be produced more naturally is the way to a healthier america

you make a choice every time you go to the supermarket, or the drive thru and buy foods that have these chemicals in them the more you buy them the more america will produce them and the circle goes on and on and on and americans are getting fatter and fatter.

read the following books: omnivore's dilemma, fast food nation and jillian michaels master your metabolism..they are a few books out there that are real eye openers to the poison we ingest on a daily basis and why america is so "fat"

 

[irunnoft]

I agree that the tax on fat is over the top. Its based on BMI not actual FAT. You could be weight lifter with huge mass and not fat and the BMI will say your are obese. Its a stupid measurement.

It looks like EVERY state employee would have to submit to an exam to determine BMI and a mouth swab to prove you are smoke free. Its very intrusive on EVERY state employee.

On the other hand it is a bit insensitive complaining about not having a raise when so many NC tax payers have lost their jobs. And so many NC tax payers have had those jobs sent overseas through no fault of their own.

We should be thankful if we have a job. Raise or no raise. I have too many college educated friends who have lost their jobs due to offshoring. NC has lost too many jobs over the last decade or so as manufacturing jobs have been sent overseas.

If the taxpayer jobs are going away so will the jobs paid via taxes.

Later,
Dan

Agreed, Dan. If I came off as sounding insensitive regarding the loss of jobs, I apologize. I wasn't mentioning the lack of step increases for teachers as a gripe in and of itself. I was pointing out that teachers have already taken "one for the team" in trying to help the Governor balance the state's budget. I was referencing this to show that this was just one more straw on an already burdened camel's back. As I'm sure you're aware, teachers have been let go just like everybody else. We lost 7 teachers last year at our school and our class sizes have increased dramatically. Let's put it this way, if I get one more student in my classroom, I'll have to start building bunk desks! Again, if my comment came off as insensitive, I apologize. That wasn't the vein it was intended to be interpreted in.

 

[Mike2023]

the chemicals, toxins, preservatives, pesticides that the govt allows in our food is the REAL reason WHY people in america are overweight!!!! The food we eat is truly TOXIC it leads to us being overweight, messes with our hormones, gives us cancer the list goes on and on and on.

I think eating organic and demanding our food be produced more naturally is the way to a healthier america

you make a choice every time you go to the supermarket, or the drive thru and buy foods that have these chemicals in them the more you buy them the more america will produce them and the circle goes on and on and on and americans are getting fatter and fatter.

read the following books: omnivore's dilemma, fast food nation and jillian michaels master your metabolism..they are a few books out there that are real eye openers to the poison we ingest on a daily basis and why america is so "fat"

lol

 

[irunnoft]

In our case PEIA is aggressively offering wellness programs to help lose weight and keep it off, including subsidizing gym memberships, a nutritionist. It seems a sane approach.

This does seem like a sane approach. That's supportive. What we're facing is strictly punitive. There is no data yet that proves this approach to be effective. Providing money for smoking cessation, nutritional classes or gym membership would make more sense - if the true goal is to have healthier citizens/employees. If the ultimate goal is to just garner another tax, then it doesn't really matter. In NC, you get taxed coming and going. I'd like to see how much the state is going to shell out in payment to nurses and medical companies to run all these tests on the over 600,000 employees.

 

[DisneyKevin]

This thrad shows all of the signs of becoming hurtful and counter productive.

The rules of the Dis pretty much boil down to "play nice or dont play".

Thanks for keeping this civil and polite.

 

[taylor3297]

I resigned my teaching position this summer. I was still appalled when I read in the N&O about charging state employees more due to tobacco use and if a person is obese. I AM overweight and considered obese according to the BMI chart but I do not have any health problems. My insurance I had with the state I only used for annual checkups and when I was pregnant with each of my two children. My two sisters who are thin have had major health issues and have on going prescriptions that they have to have filled on a regular basis. What prescription am I on? Nothing! At my last check up, I asked my doctor how could I be the "obese" one in the family and not have health issues like my sisters? She said it was due to that I am pear shaped and not apple shape, and not all overweight people develop health problems. Also, that every persons body handles things differently and it isn't a one size fits all type of thing.

As to the pay, I hear you on that. Last year in the first semester alone I spent $1500 out of my own pocket for classroom supplies/materials. With the budget cuts, no telling how much I would have had to pay this year. Also with the state mandating that you have to have 3 reading CEUs and 3 in your area of teaching, how about those classes I have to pay for in order to get recertified every 5 years? Most people don't know that teachers have to get recertified.

 

[wdwpins]

Why should employers be in the business of providing health care policies anyway? Don't they have enough on their plate just trying to run their business?

If you have the public option (yeah, universal health care) to compete with private health insurance (Blue Cross, for example), you take away, at least in some instances, an employer's need to charge you more for smoking, eating too much, etc.

"Sorry, boss. You can't charge me extra for smoking. I'm on the public health plan."

Currently the US postal system (socialized) competes with Fedex and UPS (private). Public schools (socialized) compete with private schools...and Americans seem to be okay with that. If you mention the public option in health care, though, all of a sudden you're wearing a Mao suit, wanting to bring communism to the US. Why is that?

 

[irunnoft]

This thrad shows all of the signs of becoming hurtful and counter productive.

The rules of the Dis pretty much boil down to "play nice or dont play".

Thanks for keeping this civil and polite.

Absolutely! Aside from being frustrated about this, part of the purpose of this is for people - especially state employees from elsewhere - to watch out for this in the future. In tNC, it is illegal in our state's constitution for teachers to form a union. We have an association, but their power is greatly limited compared to the actual union teachers have in FL. Perhaps others will have better success against these types of taxes than we did.

Like I said, I think it will be a degrading and hurtful process for employees to have to endure. Let's face it, overweight folks aren't brimming with pride or self-esteem. Even though I'm not obese by the state's standards, I'm certainly not skinny and I wouldn't want to have to go through this.

Kevin, if this thread needs to be shut down, I'll certainly understand. It wasn't my intention in mentioning this to cause trouble. I know there are several Disers from NC that frequent the boards and this, unfortunately, will be part of our lives outside of WDW. Thanks to all for listening. Sometimes, we all need a little encouragement and I have found this particular forum to be quite friendly.