Jobs and the Job Market: Re: Unhealthy need not apply

» Kirk - Re: Unhealthy need not apply

In response to Unhealthy need not apply posted by Normxxx:

I heard them talk about it on the radio and TV today.

They read part of the memo on the financial spot I was listening to (top story each half hour that I try to catch when driving). It said that Walmart had employees that were LESS healthy than the US average so they were looking at way to change this.

I think it is good people are looking at this from both government and big business. The very rich like Kathy Hilton to Tom Cruise have the best bodies because they have the time and money to make getting in a workout a priority. (They also have great genes that means they work hard and the results are complimentary. I work out hard and I'm still a bald guy with a big head who eats too much ice cream.)

I'd actually like to see fitness tests to get certain lower rates on health insurance. If you work out hard and can do a treadmill and other stress tests with good results, then you should get a reduction in health insurance. Health habits for insurance rates should be similar to what you pay to live in a flood plane or in Earthquake country and want insurance for those "events."

I think it is all good to have workers pay more so it isn't simply popping a pill that your company insurance plan pays for when you get too fat and don't exercise. I can say this because I had terrible health habits in the 1980's where they put me on pills for BP and cholesterol. I quit drinking, quit smoking (That took longer) and started a regular exercise program and my BP is now fine, if not sometimes on the low side, and my cholesterol is OK... all without pills. Why should you or others pay for my pills if I wanted to drink, eat crappy food, smoke and not exercise?

-- posted by Kirk