Department of Labor Curtails Healthy Habits

Posted on January 19, 2008 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

New DOL Regulatory Guidelines Seem Paradoxical

Staff writers 

New regulatory guidelines from the Department of Labor [DOL] may curtail the ability of employers to motivate workers and employees to kick unhealthy habits.  

According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, the guidelines close a legal loophole that could have allowed employers to make health insurance more expensive for unhealthy workers than for their colleagues. 

High Deductible – HCPs 

Some employers have incorporated a form of supplemental insurance into their wellness programs under which workers enroll in an employer sponsored high-deductible health care plan [HD-HCP] and can offset the deductible by earning “wellness credits” for meeting certain health benchmarks – such as weight control or cholesterol levels – issued under a separate supplemental policy.  

Legal Opinions and Risk Management Concerns

But lawyers, benefits managers and risk management consultants have voiced concerns that such programs could hurt employees with health problems, as unhealthy employees could face insurance deductibles more than $1,000 higher than healthier co-workers. 

Conclusion 

And so, is this fair or not – and – does it promote the public good?

Filed under: Health Law & Policy | Tagged: |

« »

Leave a comment