Home
PageTuesday, April 18, 2006
Both public and private employees who use tobacco are charged more for their health insurance. The employers expect that the higher will encourage more employees to stop smoking resulting in improved health and lower health care costs for the companies and their workers.
Many companies are doing so as to motivate employees to stop smoking. Meijer Inc., Gannett Co., American Financial Group Inc., PepsiCo Inc. and Northwest Airlines are the companies which are charging more premiums to the employees who smoke. The amounts range from about $20 to $50 a month. Due to the increase in cost of health care in last few years, employers are distressed to rein in costs to themselves and their employees," said Linda Cushman. Practice of smokers´ surcharges is becoming such a major trend this year.
In the health care smokers are charged 25% more than the non smokers. This plan has two main goal first to decrease the percentage of smokers in the country and secondly to reduce the cost of reducing health insurance for employers. These are the twofold goals of the governor. There are two live bills in the state legislature the address the issue of tobacco use and cost of health insurance. One has conceded the House, and the other has been approved by the Senate, but both must be voted on by the opposite chamber. Tittle said that should be done by March 14. If approved, the law will go into effect July 1, allowing employers to employ financial incentives to reduce smoking among employees, which in turn will lower their cost of providing health insurance.
posted by renaa
@ 1:00 PM
permanent link | Post a Comment |
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home