Government sues Honeywell over employee wellness program

[azurnoir]

Source: strib

Federal officials are challenging new benefit rules at Honeywell Inc. that create monetary penalties unless employees and spouses take medical tests.

A lawsuit filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in response to complaints from two Minnesota employees sets up a potential court case over how far employers can go to shift health costs and influence worker behavior.

The agency said in the suit, filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, that new health screening and penalties at Honeywell violate the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act.

“Employees will be penalized if they or their spouses do not take the biometric tests,” the complaint said.

Read more: http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/280726482.html

[MADem]

1. This is just, well, stupid.

The EEOC said that ­Honeywell’s new program creates up to $4,000 in penalties for employees unless they and their spouses take blood and medical tests that can identify smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and other health problems. They include the loss of $1,500 in company contributions to health ­savings accounts, a $500 medical plan surcharge, a $1,000 tobacco surcharge and a $1,000 ­spousal tobacco surcharge.

The suit is the third one in three months that the EEOC has filed accusing companies of setting up “involuntary” employee medical or wellness programs, said Laurie Vasichek, an attorney for the agency. Honeywell’s tests and threatened penalties go too far because they are not job-related and are not consistent with any business necessity, she said.

“The thing that is important about these cases is not that they are wellness or health programs, but that the company is requiring testing and asking disability questions when it’s not job-related,” Vasichek said. “They can only do that in ­situations where it’s ­voluntary for the employee to answer.”

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/280726482.html

If you don't want to be singled out, then we're going to penalize you! If you are singled out as a consequence of these conditions, we're still going to penalize you! And who cares if it has nothing to do with your job!

[4bucksagallon]

3. It's one reason I toke an early retirement from my company.

I could see this was coming and wanted no part of it. This was part of the voluntary plan where I worked. First voluntary then mandatory. So transparent.

[freebrew]

9. Freudian slip?

He said toke....Hah, hah. Just kidding.

[vlyons]

10. Stupid jerks!

Honeywell could offer positive and voluntary incentives for wellness tests. For example offer $500 off insurance to test positive for non-smoking for two consecutive 6-month periods. Or something similar for lowering high cholesterol count. It's not about employee wellness and lowering overall healthcare costs. It's about Honeywell sticking it to employess and paying least possible insurance $$$.

[MADem]

14. Honey instead of vinegar. Such a concept! NT

[Newsjock]

2. They'll just flip it

They'll just make it a "discount" for taking the tests, as my employer does. Should be equally illegal either way.

It's like how you can't charge extra for using a credit card, but you can offer a cash discount.

[Locrian]

5. right -exactly

that's what they'll do - and it will increase the cost of an already shitty coverage. ACA would be less expensive if it was available for employees

wonder how the hobby lobby decision will influence this case? seems like it set a precedence that companies can do anything they like.

[RobinA]

7. That's What They Do

where I work. We are public sector and unionized, so they can't just charge extra unless it's in the contract. Which it isn't, at least so far. So they give you a discount for getting blood tests and submitting certain data which, of course, is kept in the strictest confidence

Personally, I see it as a scam by the large lab company that has agreed to do blood tests for free to the employees. (You do have the option of going to your doctor, but copays apply.) Ya know darn well they aren't agreeing to test some 30,000 employees without being paid, so somehow they are getting a nice chunk of plus business paid for by someone.

It also seems to me that this stands to increase the prescription drug costs to the plan if there really are that many people out there who don't go to the doctor and will now, having just found out they have high blood pressure and hich cholesterol (sp?), will go flocking to the nearest PCP.

But my big issue is somebody somewhere is building a database I realize that just living a normal life in these times means we are in many databases, but I'm not going to make it easy for them by voluntarily showing up and handing over the data. I've declined to take part in this and will continue to do so as long as I can afford to.

[get the red out]

26. Similar with me

My public sector workplace is offering $100 to everyone who will submit to "wellness tests" and then monitoring to help people reach their "goals". $100 to take over my life and put me into a database? No, no deal, no way. I will hold out on this shit as long as I can too.

[eggplant]

18. MY HR deptartment was shocked when I complained.

I said "I already have comprehensive medical care." But we have "fun" incentives -- gift cards for accomplishing certain goals. Ugh.

[Downwinder]

4. Just wait until they use DNA markers.

[LeftishBrit]

6. This really is worrying.

Especially with regard to the spouses. A company should NOT have the right to control the behaviour of people who are not directly employed by them.

[RobinA]

8. It's Not About

the employer, doncha know, it's about the health plan. Spouses are tested if they are covered by the plan. It's all to make people healthier, you see.

I'm actually not totally convinced that this will continue once the employer, who is footing the bill (I would assume) realizes that there's no real evidence that this kind of practice is saving them health care money. Of course, they are still drug testing, and there's no evidentiary support for that...

[diabeticman]

11. Have to wonder if Honeywell somehow is getting a kickback for "encouraging" employees to

take these tests. Have they invested in a company that does these readings and are basically forcing the employees to go to get the technology refined.


ALSO this is very alarming. What if employers start using these results to not only hire and fire people BUT deny promotions to certain people base on these test.

[RobinA]

22. I Actually Think

the employers are being sold a bill of goods. My employer tells 30,000 people to go get their blood tested free. That's some large percentage of 30,000 who will now get blood tests from one lab that wouldn't have without this program. The lab has no reason to do this for free, someone is paying them. So either my employer is paying them or (and even I can't go this far) somebody else is paying them for a nice chunk of DNA database.

I can see, as clear as day, some lab sales rep going to employers with this nifty new way of cutting or controlling health care costs - "incentivize your employees to get checked (by our lab, of course) so they will know if they have high blood pressure or high cholestrol and then they can get treatment before heart disease sets in." Of course, no one knows if this really works, but the payoff, if any, is down the road and meanwhile the lab has created a bunch of new business.

[Adrahil]

12. And another reason to uncouple health care from your employer.

Seriously.... who the hell thinks it makes sense to tie your medical care to your employer? This vestige of wage controls has got to go. It's silly.

[Seeking Serenity]

21. What makes you think these kinds of "incentives" (read "mandates")

would stop if/when we have single payer via the government? They won't. As long as someone else is paying the bill, they're gonna think they should be able to call the shots.

[Psephos]

25. Yes. Exactly. n/t

[knightmaar]

13. GATTACA! GATTACA! GATTACA!

[packman]

15. Impressive reference

At first I thought you were referencing DNA coding in response to the post, then I remembered wasting an afternoon and several dollars on Gattaca.


[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]

A genetically inferior man assumes the identity of a superior one in order to pursue his lifelong dream of space travel

[frylock]

16. that is the policy where i work as well, and it's bullshit

[Xithras]

28. My employer has a $2500 "Health Improvement Bonus"

It's voluntary, but interested employees can get a physical in January from a company paid doctor at no cost. The doctor then provides the employee with areas that need improvement and improvement goals. The goals can include anything from lowering your cholesterol to a certain target, to reducing blood pressure, or losing a certain amount of weight. If you meet the goals by the next exam the following January, you get $2500

It's worth mentioning that the company doesn't get to see the test results. The doctor just tells them that a goal was set, and whether it was achieved.

[CANDO]

17. My employer offers a prepaid gift card....

Worth $250 for both employee and spouse who do the biometric screening. The money is taxed as a bonus. We are not penalized for not doing it.

[snooper2]

19. This will be interesting to follow, same rules at my work, have to take your physical

If you don't a "penalty" will be assessed-

smokers get a penalty-

they tried the fat person penalty but that didn't fly, got nixed right before it was to be implemented two years ago-

[UglyGreed]

20. My wife's

employer give us a discount if we choose to do what the wellness plan requires.

[alarimer]

23. We get a discount for simply answering a health questionnaire.

I lied through my teeth. I made the answers fit so everything was in green. So I don't get nagged.

But, yeah, this is some bullshit right here. Ought to be illegal. And another reason for single payer.

[Youdontwantthetruth]

24. Single Payer makes this shit go away, we could have had it but our own party would not allow it

Thanks to conservative, moderate and Third Way Dems.

[alarimer]

27. Are these actual tests or just self-reported results?

If they are medical tests, how is this not a violation of HIPAA? The article is unclear.

[question everything]

29. One more demonstration that employers do not belong in the health care business

(unless they are..)

Pay the employees whatever you pay on their behalf and let them find their own insurance, now that "pre-existing" conditions are gone.

And, maybe, if million of people will have to deal individually with their carriers, there will be a greater push for a universal system.

Like the rest of the civilized world.