This is the future of insurance:
In 2009, Clarian will begin charging workers up to $30 every two weeks for insurance if they let health risks such as smoking or high cholesterol go unchecked.
Clarian is not the only employer to use money as a motivator for employees to shape up.
More employers are zeroing in on obesity and smoking as the primary culprits for the ever-rising cost of health care. And that means companies increasingly are tracking not only their employees' productivity but also personal information such as their waistlines, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Some companies already have been monitoring employee health habits and sometimes charging premiums accordingly. But some programs, such as Clarian's, are moving beyond the honor system to mandatory health questionnaires and screenings.
This is the other side of government intervention in the medical industry. Companies exist to make a profit, and if the government won't let them, they will have to pass bill to the patients. There is so much regulation in medicine and insurance that insurance companies are now going to become the health police. I predict that within 10 years, your grocery receipts will be examined along with proof that you work out regularly. Welcome to the future.
Asleep by The Smiths