It Pays To Be Healthy - I hope so!

The company in which I work for, will be adopting a Wellness Program in 2009 called It Pays To Be Healthy. Since I've worked here, our health care costs have gone up every year and the benefits have been slowly reduced.

The new program is designed to reward employees who live a healthier lifestyle, i.e., not over weight, a non-smoker (non-tobacco user) and maintains a healthy BMI.

The memo that went out earlier this week went as far to say that those who smoke, spend an average of $1623 per year on medical expenditures than a non-smoker. YIKES! And, a person with "normal" weight tends to be absent from work for health reasons half as much as overweight. WOW, I never knew!

So, in June, our company will be sponsoring a health screening opportunity to help us get ready for 2009. Since the Hub is covered under my policy, he will need to join in the fun. The screening will include a BMI (body mass index), cholesterol check, blood pressure check and glucose level check. With this new wellness program, we will have the opportunity to save on our health care premiums! I sure could use some savings!

Here's the catch: to qualify for the lowest health care premium, at least three out of the four health screening scores will have to be within the pre-determined healthy range AND you must be a non-tobacco user. If you don't pass at least three of these scores, additional premiums will be added to you in 2009. Here are the criterion:

BMI: <31
Cholesterol: <240
Blood Sugar: <200
Blood Pressure: <140/90

The good news is that if you don't pass three of these (and become a non-tobacco user) this year, you will have the opportunity to be re-assessed in 2009. I've never had all these done....I'm not the picture of health but I'm not unhealthy. I fall in between. I'm a non-tobacco user and not over weight, so that's two strikes for me. So, I think I will pass at least three of these, if not all four. I know the Hub will....he's a strong healthy guy!

It's funny because our CEO (who authored the memo) is grossly over weight AND he pokes fun at himself. He mentioned that he himself has some work to do and plans to take it seriously. Good for him! It will be interesting to see which of my co-workers really try to live a healthier lifestyle.

Being in Central Virginia, the birth place of mass produced tobacco products, LOTS of people smoke in my office (not in the office, but outside the office - you know what I mean). I have the feeling that the majority will not quit. It's a way of life for them.

I'm just glad that the little person (excuse the pun) will benefit for being healthy and not pay the price for those who choose to live in a non-healthy life style. Finally, my company has done something right!