Health Care and Unhealthy Behavior

Since the passage of the health care reform bill, many employers are beginning to institute new rules among the workplace for their current employees. In order to save money on health insurance incentives and health care incentives they are beginning to institute health care wellness programs for their employees to participate faithfully.

When these health care wellness programs were beginning many employees thought this would lead to a positive outcome for health care, but just the opposite is beginning to occur. It is true at this time that most employees are enjoying the time by learning how to better take care of their bodies and minds. It is a place for employees to go to learn more how to control chronic long-term diseases such as asthma and diabetes.

However, it is slowly turning into a nightmare to be avoided because employers under the sanction of the government are beginning to penalize those employees who are not participating. These health care wellness centers are reaching much further than they were originally intended. Now the medical staff on hand is instituting rules for all employees to abide by and to return for regular health care exams.

Is it right for an employer to dictate how you will behave when you are in the comfort of your home? Perhaps it would be wiser for all employees to research and purchase an affordable health insurance policy on their own when they can afford the cost. Another factor to this health care reform is not only for the employees but for their dependents to participate too.

Will this now be the tool of choice for employers to eliminate those employees they no longer want to purchase health insurance? Will this be a tool utilized by the employer, through the behest of the government to weed out the undesirable employee? How well will this work with unionized employees? Some of the health insurance tools for employers to use against employees are.

1. Employees involved in smoking cigarettes

2. Require participation with disease management

3. Require participation with lifestyle behavior programs

4. Require biometric screening

5. Require participation with a health care coach

6. Require biometric improvements

7. Require lowering blood pressure

Each of these wellness goals for employees will also be monitored by the government and when there are no significant signs of improvement, the employees will be fined. You must wonder if the goal of the government is to have everyone on the welfare rolls. Is the government going to impose the same or similar health care sanctions on individuals who are currently on welfare?