A.H. Belo to employees: You’ll pay for not leading a healthy lifestyle [View all]

[Newsjock]

http://jimromenesko.com/2013/09/05/a-h-belo-to-employees-youll-pay-for-not-leading-a-healthy-lifestyle/

A journalist who works for A.H. Belo — owner of the Dallas Morning News, Providence Journal and other publications — tells Romenesko readers: “I wanted to pass along this health benefits letter AH Belo employees received yesterday requiring biometric screenings. Next year employees will have to pass three out of five unspecified health goals or pay a $150 (per month?) surcharge.”

... We realize the daily demands of life and work can make it hard to live a healthy lifestyle. Sometimes knowledge is half the battle – if you know your personal health risks, you can make changes to improve your health. If each of us improves our health – or reduces our risk – we all win by having improved long-term health as well as lower claim costs.
To that end, we implemented a biometric screening requirement in 2013 for all employees and their spouses/domestic partners enrolled in the Company medical plan. To avoid a $100 per person surcharge in 2014, enrolled employees and their covered spouses/ domestic partners must complete their biometric screening through Quest Diagnostic no later than September 30, 2013. The $75 per month per person tobacco use (nicotine) surcharge will also apply if you do not complete the biometric screening to confirm no tobacco use. Newly eligible enrolled participants must have this screening within two months of becoming enrolled in the medical plan.

In 2014, we will again require biometric screenings; however, the scope of the biometric screening will change. To avoid a surcharge in 2015, enrolled employees and their covered spouses/domestic partners must take the biometric screening in 2014 through Quest Diagnostic and pass three of five risk factors.