Invasion of the Health Insurance Carriers

Carriers have been doing this for several years. I use my seat belt, why should I pay for someone who doesn't and gets in a car accident? Same with smoking, drinking and obesity.

Its about holding individuals responsible for their life choices.

My company does this every year to promote healthy lifestyle. We actually get $ incentives to do each of these things. I hate the questions but I like the $200 they give me ;-)

I work as a consultant to employers regarding their group health plan. So yes I've seen it, done it as an employee and recommended it to my clients First let me give you some assurances - legally - and what's really done in practice.

The information really does go in to a central database with your identitiy removed. It does track what percentage of lifestyle risk is on the employer's plan. But NOBODY at ABC Insurance company knows that you, Sally Smith has a waist of 38" or drinks like a fish or has high blood pressure. Your information goes in as person # ###-###-#### on your husband's employer plan. The outside company that collects & assesses the data (often times University of Michigan school of blahblahblahblah - some health sciences division) has your name in their data base but only to prepare and send you a report of how you're doing health-wise and to provide recommendations.

It helps in many ways - first of all it helps insurance companies know what to expect in claims for their entire universe of insured people in the years to come. Statistically, health data can predict the likelihood of a person to have health problems in the future. It helps the insurance company know what kind of reserves to set in order to have enough money to pay future claims.

Legally - this information cannot be used against you - and it is not. I get the health insurance renewals from all the insurance companies and I go through the calculations with a fine tooth comb and negotiate them. NEVER is a person's name provided or mentioned. When a person's name is known in connection to a medical issue it is only when the individual person already told their Benefits person or HR person about it. I've worked with hundreds, and all kinds of companies, huge, small, cheap, generous, over more than 30 years and to date maybe one or two has ever even asked about a particular person. And in those isntances it was always out of concern and never about negative things.

Now tlet me explain why these wellness initiatives are becoming so common - health costs are extraordinarily high. There's a disconnect for us between what things cost, our health and what we want. We want "the best" healthcare. We want every test, every pill, every procedure and we want to go to the best doctor, the best hospital, etc. We usually only pay a small portion of the cost of health insurance, and the cost of our claims so we have NO idea of what things really cost. Do you know that the cost of coverage for a typical family (the total amount paid by your employer and you) is at the very lowest cost $1700 monthly and up to $2700 monthly. A really good plan cost about $30,000 a year for family coverage. Why? Medical costs are really high.

A premature baby now can survive and live a wonderful life. But the cost for a baby to stay in the neonatal unit for 2-3 months cost about $500,000 - $750,000.

Humira - the drug you see on commercials - makes life amazingly improved for people with serious types of joint disease. The cost is about $1,000 monthly. Just for the drug.

How much does it cost for an MRI? At the hospital it might cost $2500. At the free-standing facility maybe it's $850. An xray might be $250.

Lung cancer? Medical costs for a typical cancer patient easily exceeds $500,000 these days.

Organ transplants? $500,000 - $1,000,000.

Injuries from a motorcycle accident - $500,000 - $1,000,000.

OK - so I've got your attention. We can't stop premature babies, hemophylliacs, Multiple Sclerosis, cystic fibrosis, etc. But we can change lifestyle illness & disease - medical conditions connect to lifestyl can be changed. What we know is that if you have certain emerging medical statistics that haven't yet manifested in disease, you are highly likely to have medical problems in a few years UNLESS you make changes. The statistics can predict - with a high degree of certainly when you'll have those problems. So you you currently have a certain weight, height, lifestle, blood pressure number. etc. - the statistics can say that you have a 95% chance of diabetes or heart problems, or a stroke within X years. The numbers are uncannily accurate

But if plan members dont know they ahve these pre-conditions for serious illness how are they supposesd to know to change? Why should the health-conscious person pay the same rate as the overweight person who drinks, smokes and is 50 pounds overweight when they are the ones who will cost the plan much more - statistically.

So wellness inititatives basically are designed to encourage you to find out what your health status is (you'll get a report telling you where you're doing well and where you need to make changes) and then encourage you to make the changes. Most people won't go out of their way to do the health risk assessment unless there's an incentive. The $80 a month is a pretty good incentive.

By next year the employer may provide a further incentive to now go out and make the changes recommended. They'll offer smoking cessation classes, discounts to weight watchers or Jenny Craig, online or telephonic health coaches, etc.

If it makes you feel any better - in every company that I've seen do this every execituve, from the Chairman & president - to middle manager are also held to the same rules. I've seen chubby company presidents go through the process and end up losing 50 pounds. I've also seen chubby accounting managers who have already had a heart attack not go through the process and pay the extrra money each month...

Ultimately, you can do what you want. You can't be forced to complete the assessment, or go to the doctor or have a blood test. But they can charge you more if you don't go.

finally - the insurance companies will often give a discount and help pay for the process - that's how much they know it will help improve health.

I'm sorry for such a long answer - but I hope this helps you to understand and not be suspicious of your husband's employer. Most people area skeptical at first - but most people end up being pleased by the process in the end.

PS - this really has NOTHING to do with healthcare reform. I'm not a big fan of Obamacare - it's not doing waht it's supposed to be doing. But we can't blame this on new laws. This type of thing began years ago - before anyone even heard of Barak Obama. And don't think for a minute any of this would go away with a single payer governemtn plan. Trust me - in England (a few friends who grew up there and have family still there) and in Canada(I have clients there) they don't have access to the newest medical technology. They don't get MRI's - they get xrays. After a certain age curative care is no longer offered (chemo, heart surgery, hip replacement, etc.) only palliative (pain relief).

Could we please use another word besides "Nazis"? I understand that you are frustrated, but really.... they are not tormenting anyone, gassing anyone in showers, marching your relatives off to a concentration camp, etc. (In short, it's not an appropriate shorthand to use...even The Spanish Inquisition seems overblown in this instance.) They are asking a battery of questions to best determine who you are and how much you might cost them. Sheesh.....

And yep, they can't sell your information or HIPAA would be on them like white on rice.

So... You think a business should agree to a contract without being allowed to know what they're paying for? How exactly do they go about constructing a budget with that approach? Yes, it's a pain to fill out; yes, it feels invasive, but perhaps you'd prefer they just raise rates across the board for everyone or drop people who become medically burdensome? The $80 isn't punishment; it's how they cover their asses to ensure they have enough money for you. You're welcome to choose that option if you care not to answer. Consider it an $80 discount if you do answer. I think it's unbelievable to ask companies to blindly insure everyone at the same rate, knowing nothing about the risks they bring medically and financially.

Unbelievable? You have the OPTION of paying $80 extra a month to avoid this. So just do that! Oh, you don't want to spend more? But it's ok for the insurance company to pay more if you're unhealthy? That's what they are trying to gauge and encourage healthy behavior so we all pay less for healthcare. No one is denying you insurance. But insurance companies and doctors are not charities!! These are businesses. And you do have choices. Pay the extra, answer their questions, look for another company, pay the govt fee for not having insurance etc. Somehow I highly doubt you won't want healthcare services if you get sick. There is a cost to that someone has to pay! I am willing to pay but as someone who does watch my weight and not smoke and wears a seatbelt etc, I don't want to pay extra for people who don't. Why should I? This is how insurance companies are trying to make things more fair. What is your solution? No differentiation in costs for customers? I find that idea unbelievable.

How is this any different than auto insurance? If you speed, get DUIs, or otherwise drive in a way that will make you more likely to get into an accident shouldn't the company insuring you charge you more than a safe driver?
Yeah, it's your "choice" to live how you want but you shouldn't expect others to pay for it.

Many insurance companies have been doing that for a long time - since a decade or longer ago at least - as a push towards wellness and safety.

From a legal standpoint, there are no rights being infringed upon or laws being broken in your scenario in regards to privacy. Again, I want to emphasize that this is NOT new and it has nothing to do with recent healthcare law changes.

Now that said, thanks to the ACA (Obamacare) you can't be turned down for preexisitng conditions or have treatments rejected anymore so there is nothing to worry about in that regard.

It would bother me, too, though I might use a slightly different vocabulary to describe WHY it would bother me.

To clarify, your insurance company does not have the right to drop you from the policy if you, say, gain weight, or if you don't lower your cholesterol. Per their threats, they can raise your premiums, but that's pretty much it.

And in response to one of the posts below (from a very smart person, whom I respect), this has nothing to do with the government being involved in your health care. This is a private, for-profit company, and they're doing this in order to make money. While there may be aspects of a positive motive in it, I'm sure there's also an awareness that people feel bad about being overweight, not working out enough, etc. So if their premiums are raised for these reasons, they'll be unlikely to protest, because they'll be caught in a web of shame.

And, more generally, you can't shame someone into losing weight, being healthy, etc. It DOES NOT WORK. It generally drives people to be even more unhealthy. If someone's already on a track to being healthier, they'll attach shamey feelings to unhealthy habits, and that's effective, but the initial motivation has to be positive. Otherwise, it's just a weird, impersonal form of bullying.

Finally, I know you didn't mean any harm by it, but I'd respectfully advise you to avoid the casual use of the term "Nazi" that you've employed in this post. It's offensive.

I love how people make your question an excuse to blame everything on the government. Thank goodness there are people who actually want to know what's real and what's made up.

This has been going on with insurance companies for years. Insurance is big business. Companies who want to attract the best employees offer good insurance, but it costs a ton of money for companies to offer insurance to families, so the companies work hard with insurance companies to manage the process.

I so appreciate NYMetromom's thoughtful and lengthy explanation of what's what.

Thank goodness for the new pre-existing conditions and recission law now. If nothing else makes you feel better about filling out this information, that should.

And I get that you weren't trying to offend people with the Nazi reference, but you do. Nazis actually killed people - millions of them, and this has absolutely nothing to do with trying to wipe people off the face of the earth.

aaaaaaaand cue up the avalanche of 'obamacare is out to get you' posts!
khairete
S.

I don't understand why you are upset. Don't you go to the doctor? They ask or check the same things and then it goes on your chart, then it goes into EPIC, and then everyone knows.

I am an accountant for doctors, I have access to EPIC granted I am also bound by HIPAA so it isn't like that means anything because I am ethical.

The premiums are set based on average health for your age. If you are unhealthy they have every right to charge you more because your choices are making you a higher risk for larger claims. I would love for my employer to do the same thing. I hate being judged and charged based on the obese smokers down the hall but absent that check I am assumed to be just as unhealthy.

Sorry we healthy people are kind of getting sick of subsidizing our unhealthy co workers. No one is telling you how to live your life, they are just making you pay for your choices or save because of your choices, that is a good thing.

Insurance companies pay money based on odds. More risky behavior, more expensive for the person who takes the risk, because the insurance company is taking a financial risk on THEM and their behaviors.

These questions are not new. If you get life insurance you have to answer stuff like this because if you do stupid/unhealthy things, the likelihood of you dying is higher, hence the likelihood of them paying earlier or at all goes up. Which means you PAY more because they are taking more risk on you. Same with health insurance.

Your insurance company is the one who has to pay extra for your poor lifestyle choices (if you make them) so yes, they do have a right to tell you how to live your life if you want the discounted rate and if you don't want to make good choices and document them, then they'll penalize you because you are more likely to cost them down the road.

And how do you know that they won't cover you because of poor choices? Because there are laws that prevent them from doing so.

If you want the discount, play along. If you don't want to share this info, pay the higher rate. It's a simple choice. For me, saving almost $1000 a year on my premiums would be well worth reporting a little info.

I have no problem being asked these questions, nor do I have a problem being regularly screened and monitored by a doctor and my insurance company. I feel it keeps me more aware of my health and motivates me to STAY healthy, especially as I get older.
I guess it's just a matter of attitude (?)
ETA: if you have high cholesterol you change your diet and take medication, that's what my husband did. Why should the rest of us pay for your unhealthy choices?

I think it's great!! Smokers and obese people obviously cost society more in healthcare related costs. Why shouldn't they pay in more upfront?? Why not hold people accountable for their health?? I should pay for other people's bad habits? Some of the questions seem silly bc are people going to admit to not wearing a seat belt but otherwise I think all health insurance should go in this direction. Do you object to car insurance being more expensive for people who have speeding tickets and/or have lots of accidents?... Same idea. And your insurance company isn't tell you how to live your life. They are telling you that if you want their services, this is how they determine how much you will pay. Go to another service provider if you don't like it.

We are going through the same thing same insurance company and not put off by it at all. Did you know that if you take part in the program you can earn points to REDUCE your premium?

I have already earned points for doing the survey, doing a few of the online programs, walking 10,000 steps a few different days, a couple of workouts and getting my flu shot.

Hubby has gotten more points for doing the physical and such plus also for donating blood and workouts.

I see no problem with it at all. Honestly, every insurance company has programs to help its people get healthier and now they are just rewarding those doing it with lower payments or other rewards.

Yep, this has gone on for many years now. Why the surprise? If it wasn't on your previous health policies, that seems unusual to me. I haven't seen specific questions about fruit and veg consumption before, but things like seat belt use, smoking and drinking have all been on various questionnaires for a long time.

Like Southern Yankee said: Why should those of us who take preventive measures (like wearing seat belts) and avoid clearly proven negative behaviors (like smoking) pay for the health coverage of those who do not do those things and whose risks are higher?

I would worry far, far more about the potential for stolen identity or invasion of privacy from, well, using web sites like this or Facebook or Instagram etc., than about invasion of privacy from saying that I wear seat belts every day.

I am shocked by how many people think this is ok! I guess that explains a lot about the direction the country is taking now. So sad.

I'm with you- it is intrusive. It is nothing like sharing these answers with my doctor- nothing. And it has EVERYTHING to do with the government being involved in health care. It's only going to get worse.

Good for you for questioning this and being alarmed. It's hard not to follow the lemmings sometimes (and as someone else said, drink the kool aid). Probably not a lot you can do about it, but you sure don't have to think it's ok.

I have had to do this for my company for the last 10 years or so. It is cheaper to be preventive vs. reactive. The more you know. Maybe you did not know to wear your seat belt, or what you are supposed to eat in a day/week etc. Awareness, hey ..this path you are on is great, or maybe in the next year you can reduce XYZ and make positive changes in your life before it becomes a problem?

They are trying to cut costs, in a good way. by being proactive not reactive.

I get that doctor's ask questions, they have to know how to help you to treat you. I get that insurance companies need to know what it will cost to keep you (or get you) healthy, and so I understand the questions to a point.

What is getting me is the amount of people saying it's your choice to pay, so pay or shut up - basically. That may be true. You can absolutely fork over the extra $80/month if you choose not to answer their questions.

But why don't we start drug testing all of the people that are using Government money to fund their drug habits? Or the people in high political offices that use Government dollars to vacation? Or the people who take advantage of programs set in place to help people get on the right foot, not live off of and not lie to get in to? So there are so many more questions to ask...since this type of intrusion is just another reach of our current Government into our personal lives. Everyone should be scared. I'm kind of scared by the amount of people who don't see this.

The insurance company we use at my employer offers incentives yearly to do these kind of checks. You can receive gift cards for varying amounts depending on your level of participation. They also offer coaching for weight loss and nutrition as part of the program.

This can benefit your employer in negotiating lower rates for it's empoyees for the next year(s).

We do this exact thing through my husband's employer too. We're not put off by it at all..in fact, we think it's pretty cool because we can keep up with our health/labs and it's easy pocket money. My husband hates going to the doctor for physicals, but he'll go for this.

I'm totally with Nervy Girl about the "Nazi" comment. Who cares if someone asks if you wear a seatbelt or eat your veggies? Not only my doctor, but my mom asks me the same thing. I do wear my seatbelt, and I eat most of my veggies but could probably do better.

See? Easy.

I agree but our personal freedom is being taken away little by little. Most people are blissfully unaware they are taking comfort as freedom. People live in planned communities --- they own their home but have little freedom of choice. Now it's healthcare as a U.S. citizen you have to have health insurance whether you want it or not if you do not have health insurance you will be fined when you file your taxes.

We need the hippies back or another similar group to stand up and shout out.

It's not exactly the same as marching people to gas chambers for being Jewish.

If they can't drop you now for having a pre-existing condition why could they drop you for eating too much processed food? They want to charge you more for unhealthy living or refusing to say you live healthfully because unhealthy people have much higher medical costs. Just lie on the questions if you're insulted.

Unless this country gets over it's infatuation with private medicine and switches to a socialist system where everyone is covered REGARDLESS of their job or income (which it won't) the private insurers can be as invasive as they want, drop whoever they want and charge whatever they want.

This is nothing new really, insurance companies have been doing it for years so they can decide how much you are likely to cost them when they insure you and decide on your rate. This is just one more reason we need universal health care here in this county like almost every other first world nation has.

Yes, it's very invasive. Shudder.

It's funny, but our insurance (or what passes for it), makes it a "bonus" if you do the survey. They put extra money in your HSA. Also for pledging a no smoking status.

That's the easy parts. The next is to wear a pedometer everyday and log the results. They give you money for a certain number of steps over the year. I'm lucky this year because it automatically logs my fitbit info but my H still logs his and we get extra pts if we challenge people or do extra fitness things. Roll eyes here.

They did have a meeting last yr and discouraged cheating like, putting the pedometer on the dog or your kid, lol! If you treat us like kids, we act like them, apparently! Not us, of course..Just in case the NSA is watching!

I do think it encourages people to walk, just like wearing any pedometer will do. But it tends to make me feel rebellious.

Speaking of info, how safe do you think that info is? How likely are they to pass it along or use it against you? Grrrr I trust them as much as they trust me.

Our insurance through my work did this. I found it helpful because I never would've done the blood work otherwise. They aren't forcing you to do it, if you don't want to you can pay the higher rate. And they can't sell your info-thats what HIPPA was created how-to prevent that.

This is what you get when you get the government involved in your health care. Sorry.

They can't kick you out for pre-existing conditions but they can charge you more if you don't conform to their rules. Since they are paying for your health care - they want to ensure they aren't going to be paying a lot of money for your care....and in my opinion, while I don't like government in my personal life, insurance - since I'm betting against myself - they have every right to ask these questions so they can figure out how much it's going to cost to care for you....

However, these are the same questions a doctor will ask you when you go in for your yearly physicals. Our insurance, while prices have gone up and coverage down (thanks to 0bama(doesn't)care), we are given "incentives" to be healthy and live a healthier life...isn't that what you want? To live longer and be healthier?

Hello, all the questions that you listed are "standard" questions that are asked at the doctors office. In fact a few others are missing about feeling safe at home (which is for the abused person if not accompanied by the abuser) so that help can be given.

We all would like for fellow citizens to be as fit as possible for their stage in life. Sometimes people have genetics that make them larger, cholesterol, diabetes (runs in families), and mental issues. If your doctor can get a baseline of health on you, h/she will have an idea of how healthy you are.

Nothing is worse than to go to the doctor and not have an idea of what is really wrong. Nothing is worse than to go to the doctor and have test results come back that were not expected due to an illness that could have been preventable. Nothing is worse than a person not knowing what their body is saying and ignoring it to the point where you go to the doctor for help and it may be too late. These are ways to keep from sticking your head in the sand and ignoring any twinges or pangs of the body.

the other S.

PS We are a global world now and are interconnected.

Ditto Jill K. This really has gone on for ages. Thank goodness you don't have to worry now that they'll use it against you; Obamacare took care of that.

You are right to not fully trust our insurance carriers. I think the U.S. healthcare is a mess because of them. They're evil, but they're what we've got. At least now they can't kick you to the curb if you answer those questions the wrong way.

I see how you can feel that way, so let me ask you, if you were insuring someone wouldn't you want to know what your risk was? How about if you are buying a home, do you want to know how the home has been cared for? Or maybe a used car? Don't you want to know the maintenance records? The insurance company is investing in you, they want to ensure that you invest in yourself.

You do have a choice not to answer the questions, you will jut pay for it. It is your right to privacy if you want to pay the extra. Otherwise, it is their right to know how "safe" their investment is.

I find it intrusive. I also found it incredibly intrusive a few years ago when I tried to purchase health insurance privately. Every insurance company I spoke to had a list of every medication I had ever taken and wanted my reasons for taking them as part of the application process. Infuriating.

When I go to my physician, she asks me very similar questions, and sometimes more intrusive ones, such as about sexual activity. And then there is the physical exam... I bet it is the same thing for you. Really, sharing this information is part of receiving health care. Maybe you feel more uncomfortable because the information is going into the computer?

NO, you cannot be denied coverage due to your cholesterol or other conditions. That's one result of the national health care legislation, that insurance companies can't refuse to cover people due to pre-existing conditions or drop them when they get sick.

The things they are asking about are all factors in lifestyle which are widely discussed now. I'm sure the company is simply going to use the information to alert you and your doctor if there are certain potential problems on the horizon for you. You might consider it an opportunity for you to reflect on your current health status and whether there are patterns you want to change. Yes, you probably already know whatever might be suggested to you, however a reminder isn't a bad thing. You can also just ignore it. Good luck with everything!

My husbands employer does this also . At first I was kind of irritated and felt violated also. After the first year , we had our physicals which was a great thing . My husband never goes to the doctor. He found out he has high blood pressure and is on medication . He says he feels like a weight has been lifted off his chest .Thank goodness we found out . I can't imagine if something would have happened to him . Another plus is that when you have a yearly physical , the doctor knows you . When you get sick , you can actually get an appointment right away instead of going to quick care .
They can't deny you coverage just try to get you to live healthier . So just do it . Its' not worth paying more . Hope this helps :)

We've been doing this for years. They give us 150 if we are deemed healthy, otherwise just 100. . I just look at it as an easy way to make 300 a year.

I'm all for measures that encourage preventative care. Before they started this, my hubby never got a physical! In the long run. This will save society billions of dollars.

My kid's doctor told us about a year or so ago, that they keep track of things like whether or not you got a flu shot. And that things like that will begin to affect your premiums.. if they find you are not following what they deem the best preventative care. I could see at a time in the future, where they may even deny coverage if you have declined to take certain steps... like say you don't get a flu shot. Then if you get the flu, they might decline to cover your hospital charges if you end up hospitalized from it. Things like that.

Scary, isn't it?

Yes, I know it is a business, and I get that. But medicine is a "practice" not JUST a science... and the experts are continually changing their opinions over what is best practice. So now we could be penalized for their schizophrenia.... Fun times.

Interesting--it all depends on how something is positioned. When my daughter was asked to fill out a health survey, she was given a $50/month credit on her health insurance from her workplace. She was very anxious to do that to save money. My big fear is that this year they are getting a baseline of health screenings and behaviors. The plus side is that some people may make changes to become healthier after they review their "health report". This year the only reason a company could charge more for a premium (for identical aged patients) cost differential could be for smokers. Next year they could add people that are overweight, have a high BMI or those who don't exercise to the "smoker class" and charge increased premiums. We just don't know what they are going to do!

Insurance is a business. It makes business sense to minimize risks. It is still your choice how to live your life, you just have to pay more accordingly. It is the same as auto insurance premiums increasing when you have demerits on your drivers licence. If you are a responsible driver you pay less for your insurance, but if you are a higher risk you pay more.

I think it's intrusive, wrong and a few scary steps from mandating vaccines and other health "care" interventions as a condition of meaningful coverage.

I detest private companies and the government having access to data like that. Has anyone here actually ever READ a HIPAA form?

Yuck.

PS: I am very into health. Just not into having someone else's version of "health" rammed down my throat.

PPS: It's different from auto insurance in that you do NOT HAVE TO DRIVE A CAR TO LIVE. You don't have to submit detailed lab reports to drive a car. Sheesh. Why do we have ANY expectation of privacy any more?

It is intrusive but it doesn't bother enough folks and it helps the business case of the insurance carriers so it is what it is. Answering my doctor is not the same as divulging to my insurance carrier. Overall what we to do? Line up and drink the Kool Aid with everyone else, I suppose.

This isn't new at all. It's just becoming more commonplace because insurance companies have to watch their bottom lines.

I work for a large health corporation and this is the second year they have done this. We have Blue Cross. It's not a big deal really. It actually put a fire under my butt to have a physical and get bloodwork done. I haven't done so in years. Because I did it, it lowered my premium.

You have choices here. Nobody is forcing you to do this. But it's really not a bad idea if you think about it.

A friend of mine just told me that they are paying an additional $80 per month because the insurance company "said" they didn't do the vitality check, but she says they did.

I had never heard of this until I spoke to her just about a week ago. I believe you can be comfortable that your carrier won't cancel coverage because carriers can no longer exclude people with pre-existing conditions so I would think you would be okay.

This whole health insurance thing is a nightmare.

I don't think that they're telling you how to live. They're just trying to educate themselves on how you live. They're getting to know you, if you will, so they can determine what their expectations of you/your health should be. For example, if you are not in the habit of wearing a seat belt or if your waist size is--ahem--outside of a certain range, then they can pretty much determine that you are not a lifer, based on statistics. That sucks, but they have to use objective data to draw their conclusions. It might feel intrusive, but you're asking them to "bet on you". In that case, you need to let them look under the hood.

My question to you: What would you have them ask? What information would you find acceptable and appropriate for them to write a good policy?

Cigna?

My husbands company went to them a few years back and that is one of the things employees are required to do.

This is the first year they would have to pay more if they didn't get it done though. That wasn't such a big deal cause the company does require yearly physicals, the problem was they gave them a little over a week to get into a doctor or you paid more. I had to beg to get an appointment that quickly.

Next year the wives will also be required to do it. I'm not sure how I feel about that one.

As it is my husband pays more cause he smokes, which is fine, I get that. Only they told the guys, again, a week before enrollment and then said we'll pay for you to quit, but you have to be tobacco free for 6 months. So what was the point of suddenly quitting (besides health obviously). We pay the $30 extra and he's working on quitting.

Ours also asked how many miles he drives, where he's driving to and from. How often he uses his vehicle to go to work, I felt like I was applying for auto insurance with all of the questions. Not to mention his sleep habits, how many hours he works, does he sleep on the job? Okay, someone's really going to admit that one lol

It is what it is though.

Actually many of those questions are not common place with all insurance applications, at least with my experience and I've applied with many of the big names - Aetna, humana, BCBS, etc. The most intrusive question I've ever been asked on an application is family history. Now my doctor or the pediatrician will ask those kinds of questions especially if you are a new patient.

I agree with you that it's too intrusive for a company but I guess they feel they have to way the risks to be sure they always balance their risk to make enough millions to pay their CEOs and such.