Monday, January 9, 2012

Employers hope to curb health costs with nicotine tests

Employers hope to curb health costs with nicotine tests - San Francisco Luxury Living | San Francisco Luxury Living:

Employers as varied as Michigan-based benefits manager Weyco and Humana Inc. in Arizona to the Union Pacific Railroad and Alaska Airlines have followed the same path, although the policies have come under fire from civil libertarians and privacy advocates who contend companies are trying to ban workers’ use of a product in their private lives that is legal to use. About 20 percent of American adults are smokers, government surveys show.
Geisinger Health System in Pennsylvania will begin nicotine tests for job applicants in February and also will implement higher insurance premiums in 2012.
“This is just the next step in creating a tobacco-free environment and it’s just an effort to focus on the well-being of our employees,” said Geisinger spokeswoman Marcy Marshall. All Geisinger facilities have been tobacco-free since 2007.
Critics argue that bans on tobacco could easily be followed by prohibitions on alcohol, cheeseburgers or high-risk sports off duty, all of which can also impact health costs. In fact, nearly 30 states have laws protecting smokers or users of “lawful products” from employer discrimination to at least some degree.

Not like I couldn't see this coming from a mile away.

I have been watching the bashing of large people for awhile now and truth be told if you really look not all of these people are so large.

If you want to see what these global health initiative types call obese you should look  here.

Many of these people look just like I do and my friends do.

It all goes to show you,you can't trust anyone about your health when there is money involved.