Outrage over 'bullying' CVS policy that requires workers to 'voluntarily' report health information

[OhioChick]

'Fess up, or pay a fee: Outrage over 'bullying' CVS policy that requires workers to 'voluntarily' report health information... or pay a $600 fine

CVS Caremark will enforce new policy that requires its 200,000 employees to report their height, weight, body mass index, blood glucose levels, and other vital stats
Those who 'opt out' will be subject to extra $50 fee each month, or $600 per annum

08:37 EST, 20 March 2013

A new policy at the popular pharmacy chain CVS is causing outrage after the company announced it will require its employees to report their weight, BMI, and glucose levels – or pay a hefty fine.

CVS Caremark, which is based in Rhode Island, has some 200,000 employees.

The controversial new policy would require workers to sign a waiver that they ‘voluntarily’ disclosed the information, but those who opt out must pay a $600 fee.

Patient advocate groups say this is just another coercive measure and worry that those employees in poorer health might risk getting fired.

The company mandated that all of its employees must get the screenings, which include their height, weight, body mass index, blood pressure levels, and glucose levels, by May 1, according to the Boston Herald.

More: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2296354/Outrage-bullying-CVS-policy-requires-workers-voluntarily-report-health-information--pay-600-fine.html

CVS presses workers for medical information
Privacy group decries ‘invasive’ act

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

A national data privacy group is seeing red over a new CVS policy that requires workers who use company health insurance to report their weight, and body fat and glucose levels to the insurer — or pay a $600-a-year penalty.

“This is an incredibly coercive and invasive thing to ask employees to do,” said Patient Privacy Rights founder Dr. Deborah Peel, adding that mounting health care costs have made these policies increasingly common.

“Rising health care costs are killing the economy, and businesses are terrified,” Peel added. “Now, we’re all in this terrible situation where employers are desperate to get rid of workers who have costly health conditions, like obesity and diabetes.”

Rhode Island-based CVS Caremark, which has 200,000 employees, told all workers who use the company insurance plan to have a doctor determine their weight, height, body fat, blood pressure and glucose and fasting lipid levels by May 1.

More: http://bostonherald.com/business/healthcare/2013/03/cvs_presses_workers_for_medical_information

[kudzu22]

1. It's nothing new

Many employers are doing it, except it's not a penalty -- it's a discount off your health insurance for meeting biometric targets. Now, of course, they just happened to jack up the premiums by the exact amount of the discount, so the effect is the same.

My employer has had this for 3 or 4 years now. I don't have to report anything, but then I don't have to get the discount, either.

[HappyMe]

2. Invasive? Bullying?

Smokers pay more.

[RoccoR5955]

3. and those with hair on fire

Do they pay less?
Then why not the people who drink large sugary drinks, or bacon-cheeseburgers pay more?
Perhaps we should have all meat-eaters pay more as well, and artificial sweetener users.
Come on, when does it stop?

[HappyMe]

4. Of course I pay less.

Don't smoke, not overweight, in pretty good shape.

[uppityperson]

5. That is set by the insurance company, not by the employer. There is a difference there. Mandating

health info like this goes beyond privacy issues imo. If the insurance co wants to ask the info for calculating their rates, that is one thing. But for an employer to demand this info is wrong. Having worked in occupational health, it is way too easy for this info to get misused.

But in exchange, workers must sign a form saying the screening is voluntary, and that the insurer can give test results to WebMD Health Services Group.

(clip)
CVS spokesman Michael D’Angelis defended the policy, saying, in an email, “Our benefits program is evolving to help our colleagues take more responsibility for improving their health and managing health-associated costs.”
(clip)
“All personal health data is kept private by our wellness program’s third party administrator and is never shared with CVS Caremark,” D’Angelis said.

Peel said workers should be wary. “There’s no chain of custody for health data,” she said, “so there’s no way to verify that they don’t really look at it.”

[HappyMe]

7. They should find a way

to just get the info directly to the insurance company then.

I don't see anything wrong with rate differences based on a few facts.

[uppityperson]

8. Insurance companies should collect the info, not the employer. That is my point.

[Big Blue Marble]

9. That would be a HIPPA violation. N/T

[HappyMe]

10. Well, then the doctor should fax the info

directly to the insurance company.

Height, weight, blood pressure, bmi etc. isn't super sensitive info to me. It's not like they want details of your sex life.

[Lugnut]

6. HIPAA violation, yes?

I thought it was illegal for your employer to even ask about your health situation.

[Cal Carpenter]

11. We need single payer

we need profit out of healthcare and we need employers out of healthcare.

Fuck the insurance companies.

We need accessible healthcare for all.

Fuck CVS, fuck the insurance companies, and fuck the complicit politicians who have thrown some people a few crumbs and left the rest of low-income America (a growing demographic btw) to keep suffering.

[EC]

12. Never shop there...

There is just something wrong in those stores, never felt comfortable in them,. My friends say the same thing. So where are they supposed to get these "screenings" and do they have to pay for them? Other than wasting time - I wonder if they get that done on company time?

[Marrah_G]

13. This is for those who use the company health plan

Not that that really makes a difference.

Frankly, not all that many people will be affected, since CVS pretty much only employs part time employees....

worked there for a year........it was soul-suckingly awful.