Employer health insurance demands blood or double premiums!

[-CB-]

Well this is a find how-do-ye-do.

Got "the letter" today, that I need to give blood "for wellness testing" or pay double the amount I'm currently paying for health insurance.  In fact, it went company-wide. 

I've never had a claim, except for a back injury 15 years ago, blood doesn't cover accidents. 

They dont want to do blood pressure screening (a good thing).

They dont want to do weight counseling (a good thing).

They dont want to help folks quit smoking.

They want blood.

What will they do with it?  What exactly will be tested for?  And what will they do with the information?

Total BS.  Absolute total BS.  This is not about wellness, its about information, about selling information, and about weeding out individuals, or, combing back anyway and demanding more money because of "test results", or about canceling insurance, if one doesn't make the grade.

......


The question is -

What does everyone else's boss demand of them in this regard?

 

[m4rk0]

that is crazy!!! who is your provider???

 

[Superlizard]

Sorry to hear.

Inevitably, you have to deal with it one way or another... here's my 3 step approach:

1)  Find a different plan
2)  Sign up
3)  Tell the former to go F themselves

(and hopefully this plan is still viable when ObamaCare kicks in)

 

[Alfang]

I think that this is indeed obama care kicking in.

Congrats to all who voted for " Fundamental Change" cuz it's startin to happen.

And it's easier to say change your plan than it actually is, Sounds like =CB= is in a group plan like most of us.  Paying for an individual plan is very costly

 

[CouchSpud]

Well, they've been called blood-sucking bastards before.... just sayin'

 

[Superlizard]

I think that this is indeed obama care kicking in.

Congrats to all who voted for " Fundamental Change" cuz it's startin to happen.

And it's easier to say change your plan than it actually is, Sounds like =CB= is in a group plan like most of us.  Paying for an individual plan is very costly

Hopefully we'll make the *right* "change" soon, and ObamaCare will be put in the trash where it belongs.

I mean, Canada's healthcare system is so good that recently, one of the uppers in Canadian gov't decided to come
down here to the U.S. to get treated.  Yep, that good.

 

[bbl4ck]

Here is a link to an article that discusses this exact situation in Broward County.  

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2010/01/county_faces_legal_challenge_t.html

It would appear that you might have legal grounds to fight this requirement.  
Unfortunately, the legal battle, ahh, I mean cost, would be on your shoulders...
Your situation really sucks  :toothy11:

 

[AutoBat]

oh good, this turned into a political discussion...

 

[AprioriMark]

oh good, this turned into a political discussion...

Hahaha, right?

That "give us your blood" thing does sound shady, man.

-Mark

 

[Mor Paul]

For healthcare and such.

 

[kboman]

oh good, this turned into a political discussion...

Hooray! Things were getting far too agreeable around here lately.

 

[NQbass7]

How is this part of Obamacare?

 

[bbl4ck]

How is this part of Obamacare?

I don't see that it is...
As health care cost have risen, there has been a consistent trend of insurance companies to find new ways of charging and/or eliminating at risk individuals.
Obama seems to be in favor of eliminating methods that the insurance companies use to highlight this population.
Just my opinion  :dontknow:

 

[elfro89]

its at times like these i love the NHS.
hell yeah for national health care!

 

[Superlizard]

its at times like these i love the NHS.
hell yeah for national health care!

While I don't disagree that insurance co's like the OP's suck, I don't see how having the gov't
control healthcare fixes anything; it's no different than any other monopoly - it's just the gov't
possessing said monopoly in this case.  The other problem with that is the gov't has far
more reaching power than any given ins co.  As well, it gives the gov't a huge pile of $$$
to dip into (that's *our* $$$, btw) whenever they want.  Social Security is no different.

A poor "fix" in any way, shape or form.

Free market & competition keeps the BS to a minimum and keeps the cost down for the consumer - that's what we need,
not some elected-by-dumbfucks dumbfucks in gov't telling us what to do and where to go for healthcare.

 

[-CB-]

blood test withdrawn... too many folks bitched

 

[bbl4ck]

blood test withdrawn... too many folks bitched

POWER TO THE PEOPLE---POWER TO THE PEOPLE---POWER TO THE PEOPLE
:hello2: :hello2: :hello2: :hello2: :hello2: :hello2: :hello2: :hello2: :hello2: :hello2: :hello2: :hello2: :hello2: :hello2: :hello2: :hello2: :hello2:

 

[Volitions Advocate]

I mean, Canada's healthcare system is so good that recently, one of the uppers in Canadian gov't decided to come
down here to the U.S. to get treated.  Yep, that good.

It was the premier of Newfoundland ... i think...  Maybe it was New Brunswick...  anyway.  He went to see a specific specialist.

The health care here is just fine,  It's not actually a national system anyway, it's taken care of at the provincial level.  Don't know if you've ever been to Newfoundland but despite its popularity, it's actually a bit remote and not densely populated.  Not a lot of heart specialists there I'll wager.

I've never had to pay for anything but a small percentage of any prescription drugs.  We just have long wait times because nobody wants to be a doctor anymore.

 

[Superlizard]

blood test withdrawn... too many folks bitched

:icon_thumright:

yep, screw 'em!

 

[elfro89]

its at times like these i love the NHS.
hell yeah for national health care!

While I don't disagree that insurance co's like the OP's suck, I don't see how having the gov't
control healthcare fixes anything; it's no different than any other monopoly - it's just the gov't
possessing said monopoly in this case.  The other problem with that is the gov't has far
more reaching power than any given ins co.  As well, it gives the gov't a huge pile of $$$
to dip into (that's *our* $$$, btw) whenever they want.  Social Security is no different.

A poor "fix" in any way, shape or form.

Free market & competition keeps the BS to a minimum and keeps the cost down for the consumer - that's what we need,
not some elected-by-dumbfricks dumbfricks in gov't telling us what to do and where to go for healthcare.

Well in all fairness, i dont know too much about markets or any of that, but im sure glad i get free dental care, eye care and overall healthcare, sure we pay national insurance but that is hardly anything really. Its a much better system then having some company declare you are not entitled to money in certain circumstances. Or have your boss threaten you with crap like the OP was saying. Or have your doctors care more about weather you can pay for your treatment over your actual treatment. Hospitals shouldn't be a business minded enviroment as far as im concerned. Sure personal politics might come into play in regards to jobs and things inside the hosopital or what have you. But like i was saying i'd rather they cared more about treating a condition then worrying about insignificant things like money.