So it appears Hon could be adding a "Fat Tax" on your medical coverage in 2019. BMI is going to be a factor with your medical coverage. What a poor way to determine someones health and a good way for Hon to charge you more.
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Making money on health costs to employees? I'm certain of it! Voluntarily took RIF and the COBRA coverage was not much over what I paid while an employee. I'm sure once you strip out the overhead costs, what you pay as an employee is more than what it ACTUALLY costs the company
Whats next Honeywell Fat Camp? I wouldn't be surprised. I believe that people that work at Honeywell have the worst health. We have had 3 employees that have died in the past 6 months and they were long time workers at Honeywell. Wanting us to do more work, more demand with less people. I have had it with this place!
How can this even be legal.... It just amazes me. When they need money I guess anything goes whether its legal or not!
I retired in March. I lost twelve pounds and my BP is 110/70 was 140/90 with medication when I was working. The key is retirement with no HW stress and BS.
I am wondering if Honeywell is actually making money on the whole health care thing?
It would give a whole new meaning to the phrase " Our people are our biggest asset" :)
1upd - Agree, BMI likes twigs. When I was getting BMI at Hon I was always high too and always told to loose weight. I was also a runner/hiker/biker/swimmer and did a lot of push up too; at least 4 days a week. Build a little muscle and BMI goes up. Those guys/gals you see running the 10K or marathon in the Olympics - they would have a good number - 6ft tall, 145lbs of sinew perfection.
BMI measurement is an awful joke. I wish I knew what idiot came up with that stupid chart. My elderly, completely disabled mother, who cannot even stand on her own, has, according to the chart, a great BMI of 23.7-- Yet she's dying!!!
I, on the other hand, am extremely fit and athletic. I work out 6 days a week, eat healthy, never go to the dr as I don't need to.
My BMI? 25.8. Yup, according to the chart I'm a fatty. Yet there is no place on my body you 'pinch an inch' of fat. Go figure.
Wonder what Mr. Cote's BMI is?
I knew from the start of this biometrics testing that this was going to be the end result. No way HW was going to "invest" the cost of providing these tests if they didn't plan to penalize us down the line. BMI is a terrible metric for health measurements. Forget it if you're a muscular person.
Also, you don't only get high HBP and Cholesterol from poor lifestyle choices; a lot of people are inflicted hereditaryily such as myself. Plus I have a muscular athletic build, but am kind of short. So my BMI is always higher to what they are saying is "normal".
So HW will now nail you for pre-existing conditions. Is there going to be some kind of medical panel to determine whether you tried hard enough to meet these metrics? I could work out for 2 hrs a day and only eat kale, but never make these metrics.
I really wonder what the penalty is going to be. They'll probably tell us one month before the next test. I already don't use my health insurance; I pay cash out of pocket to go to my Dr.
My doctor also told me to get another job. She says she's seen more health problems from Honeywell workers than any one company. Heart attacks, strokes, stress requiring regular medications, HBP, obesity, et. al. I'm fairly sure they are TRYING to kill us off because we still hang on. We really are stupid.
My metrics are all going the wrong way due to years of stress at Honeywell, particularly the last few. My doctor actually told me to get another job. I should listen to him.
Medicare for All!!! It's time to catch up with the rest of the civilized world!
So...
Honeywell has figured out a way to take something that used to be rewarded (i.e. Biometric = $1000 deposit into HSA), and turned it into a penalty.
Go look at GE for crying out loud. Their premium is hundreds less per payday, the deductible is 2.5K for the premium plan, and they get 1K for a reimbursement account each year.
HONEYWELL S---S!!!!
I wonder if this is against HIPAA laws?
Oh yes? People with diabetes will pay more? Have cancer? Any other ailments which are totally out of your control? Pay up!
Frankly, I could stand to use some weight and get more regular exercise. I will use this as incentive to eat healthier and start walking regularly. And as I near retirement, my doctor and friends in the medical profession all tell me that the best thing anyone can do as they approach their senior years is to be in good shape by "eating sensibly and keep moving" (i.e. regular exercise).
So what can we do about it?? This is such an invasion of personal space and privacy. I just can't fathom that it's legal!
I'm with you. I go to the dr once a year for the biometric screening. Because I have to now. I am a health junkie. I don't get sick, I don't have any health issues- I don't cost this company any money either!
The BMI measurement is totally skewed.
I think my blood pressure just went up tho!
When I was in the military there were height-weight charts by age and gender and if you were out of bounds, you could either show BMI e.g. weightlifters, or doctor's evidence of a condition such as hypothyroid etc. we also got four hours a week to work out.
I hope someone will challenge this because the next step is to go after your DNA and charge you more for markers for certain conditions.
Hey 62-year-old woman! I'm the same as you--except I am a size 18. I work out every day-often at midnight no thanks to Honeywell's global stuff. I consistently get over 10,000 steps plus my workout on my Fitbit. I'n not going to do weight-loss surgery as I'm well, old, and I don't have any factors such as high BP or cholesterol. The only time Honeywell has ever had an expense for me other than routine care is when I had vag--al childbirth deliveries//that was 35 years ago. They've made a fortune off of my health care money!
How can this possibly be legal? I am a 62 yo woman who works out all the time- very healthy and very fit. I wear a size 6-8. BUT the last 2 years- because of the totally bogus BMI charts they use (anyone with half a brain knows that is not even close to figuring true BMI)- I have been told to lose 15 pounds! Everyone who knows and sees me is shocked. There is no way. I don't have body fat to lose. It's insane. Muscle weighs more than fat.
My 85 year old crippled mother would have a good BMI using those charts!!!
This is just the tip of the iceberg-
Sickening
But they won't. Are they going to charge higher premiums to people with cancer? People with kids? Those groups of people use more healthcare than I do. This is complete b---s--- and solely a way to squeeze more money from people if they don't fit into dairyass's idea of health and fitness. What is this, the military? I will cancel this healthcare Ponzi scheme if they try to extort any more money out of me. Enough is enough.
I'm scheduling my assessment in late afternoon and having a huge lunch before, plus I'm going to drink a gallon of water or as close to it as I can get. Not immoral--I'm a tough blood draw and they tell me to drink a lot of water before. People like me with diagnosed endocrine disorders work out an hour plus a day just to stay even.
Realistically I'll probably change to my spouse's insurance in 2019; my spouse's company does biometrics only to the employee and guess what--there's no penalty! They get a $30 per paycheck HSA bonus. Additionally my spouse gets up to $500 a year in gift cards for meeting certain milestones such as, for men, PSA test over a certain age and for women, GYN exams and mammograms over a certain age. My spouse can also earn this by setting personal goals and meeting them.
Honeywell: How about letting me work from home two days a week--that would give me extra workout time otherwise spent commuting!
If you're above the target, strap some weights around your ankles when you get weighed this year and you'll be all set for next year. :)
I don't have a problem with this (and I am at a very high BMI). Insurance is all about risks -- if you are at risk for requiring more use of services then, you should pay a higher cost than folks who aren't.
They have to use some numbers to figure it out... is there a better number that's easily measured and easily applied across the board?
What about BP ? Who at up there in their 50's have BP lower than 140 /90 ?
They already charge tobacco users $1500 and $3k with spouse. It's all a scam to make more money.
How about a drink tax for all you people who regularly imbibe ? How about an extra tax on all you who drive too fast on the way to and from your office? Your lifestyle choices present a very high risk to the insurance costs. Don't forget to charge more to those employees who participate in extreme sports. I've seen a lot of injuries at those CrossFit gyms where people are trying to lose weight. Oh yeah and don't forget about those employees who choose to have babies, those things are expensive
What about people who lift weights? Their BMI is high due to the extra muscle mass. Is Honeywell saying that these people are out of shape and need to loose muscle? Lol...BMI is a joke.
The fat tax needs to be legalized for all health insurance, I hate paying for fatties heart disease, type II diabetes, knee replacements, electric scooters etc. Fatties have no shame needlessly bankrupting US Medicare.
If it is truly the target for 2019 and not 2018, and if they TRULY provide us with resources to help with the stress, workload, and unhealthy expectations of sitting at a desk ALL day.... then go for it, Honeywell! Fix my health that YOU ruined!!
wonder if it applies to the ALT level? Plenty of useless fat there to get rid of
I will cancel my HON garbage health insurance if they try to raise my fees. It's none of HONs goddamn business what my health is and charging me more for some arbitrary BMI target, F*CK YOU.
Really pissed me off when I got the pamphlet today. High risk = more gouging. BMI is absolute non-sense anyway according to MOST doctors. Loosing 2 points off BMI is near to impossible in a year.
I'm on meds + excessive, but still have very low HDL. All that should matter is that you are trying with the help of you doctor. Results may not always be possible.
Wish there was some way to sue Honeywell over this. Seems illegal, not to mention immoral.
Got my biometrics pamplet today. There are 3 at risk criteria that may need improvement to "Qualify for incentive or avoid penalty" They are BMI, Cholesterol and Blood Pressure. Just thinking about this raised my BP. Guess I'll go calm down with a snack.
Now that Trump is POTUS they feel emboldened to attempt this kind of nonsense again.
Fat tax = another Hon technique to keep funding the exorbitant execs compensation. Flip side, it might help some pursue a healthier lifestyle
I thought they tried this over five years ago, while I was still working there, and it got shot down? Maybe they can't legally do this, so they will mark you down at review time instead? I don't put anything past these hoodlums.
Sounds like something that should be flagged to the EEOC. What if you try to lose weight but can't? Or fluctuate up and down?
fat people should lose weight and stop making people compensate for their lifestyle.
AMEN BROTHER!
I wonder what the legality concerning this is? Wonder what the options are, legally, for the employees?
And it's Honeywell that made me fat! Expecting 18-hour workdays sitting at my computer an stressing about providing report after report (and sitting through non-productive meeting after meeting) and not meeting my leadership's metrics because I'm too busy providing them with reports that I can't do my actual job!