How do I lose 5 pounds in 7 days?

[merithyn]

In that case, the system is indeed silly, as they already have the info to make a better determination. What's the rest of the physical for - to determine whether to screen you out from getting insurance at all?

The insurance company is owned by a hospital. Everyone in the hospital is required to get a physical on hiring, so everyone in the insurance company now has to. They bill it as making sure that we take care of ourselves through well-checks, etc. I don't know if it's used as a screening tool at all, but I would think that that would be illegal. (Wouldn't surprise me at all if it isn't, though.)

The TB test is again a requirement for hospital employees to prevent the spread to patients. It became a blanket policy for us, too.

Drug test is, well, pretty much ubiquitous anymore.

[Malthus]

Reading a thread like this gives me warm fuzzy feelings about our creaky Canadian socialist medicare system. 

[garbon]

Actually, Meri, I've never had any of those as a req - pointedly the drug test.

[DGuller]

In that case, the system is indeed silly, as they already have the info to make a better determination. What's the rest of the physical for - to determine whether to screen you out from getting insurance at all?

You can't get denied coverage for a group insurance, nor can the hiring decision be based on your health.  For the same reason, the insurance company may not be legally allowed to base rates on something more in-depth than BMI.

[Malthus]

In that case, the system is indeed silly, as they already have the info to make a better determination. What's the rest of the physical for - to determine whether to screen you out from getting insurance at all?

You can't get denied coverage for a group insurance, nor can the hiring decision be based on your health.  For the same reason, the insurance company may not be legally allowed to base rates on something more in-depth than BMI.

Then the full physical really has nothing to do with insurance at all? 

[merithyn]

You can't get denied coverage for a group insurance, nor can the hiring decision be based on your health.  For the same reason, the insurance company may not be legally allowed to base rates on something more in-depth than BMI.

An insurance company can - legally - be allowed to base rates on many things, the BMI is only one criteria. Whether or not you smoke, your age, previous medical history - all of these things can come into play, as well as others.

[DGuller]

Then the full physical really has nothing to do with insurance at all?

Probably not.  I would guess that it has more to do with monitoring health.  My company gives optional biometric exams, in exchange for a slight discount.  None of the information is used in setting your rates.  The only personal information that is used in setting the individual rates is whether you smoke or not.

[DGuller]

You can't get denied coverage for a group insurance, nor can the hiring decision be based on your health.  For the same reason, the insurance company may not be legally allowed to base rates on something more in-depth than BMI.

An insurance company can - legally - be allowed to base rates on many things, the BMI is only one criteria. Whether or not you smoke, your age, previous medical history - all of these things can come into play, as well as others.

Individual health insurance, yes.  Group health insurance provided at work, no.

[Malthus]

You can't get denied coverage for a group insurance, nor can the hiring decision be based on your health.  For the same reason, the insurance company may not be legally allowed to base rates on something more in-depth than BMI.

An insurance company can - legally - be allowed to base rates on many things, the BMI is only one criteria. Whether or not you smoke, your age, previous medical history - all of these things can come into play, as well as others.

Individual health insurance, yes.  Group health insurance provided at work, no.

Seems awfully arbitrary that you can discriminate based on BMI, but not (say) on whether you smoke.

[DGuller]

You can in fact discriminate based on whether you smoke, my company does.  My response was to the general notion, not to any individual item.

[derspiess]

Every health insurance plan I've seen has had some kind of smoker penalty.  At the very least, you're required to go to counseling to help you quit.

[merithyn]

You can't get denied coverage for a group insurance, nor can the hiring decision be based on your health.  For the same reason, the insurance company may not be legally allowed to base rates on something more in-depth than BMI.

An insurance company can - legally - be allowed to base rates on many things, the BMI is only one criteria. Whether or not you smoke, your age, previous medical history - all of these things can come into play, as well as others.

Individual health insurance, yes.  Group health insurance provided at work, no.

Citation?

Because we have several group policies that have riders for pre-existing conditions, are based on overall health, etc. I'd like to see where you're getting this information from.

[Josquius]

it generally sounds like a sane idea to me (albeit within an insane system) but... they're basing it all on bmi? wwhat if theyve a guy who is a super fit and muscular sports freak working there ?

[The Brain]

it generally sounds like a sane idea to me (albeit within an insane system) but... they're basing it all on bmi? wwhat if theyve a guy who is a super fit and muscular sports freak working there ?

He's probably gay.

[DGuller]

Citation?

Because we have several group policies that have riders for pre-existing conditions, are based on overall health, etc. I'd like to see where you're getting this information from.

General knowledge.  As far as I know, in exchange for the tax deduction, group health plans are very limited in what kind of underwriting they can do.  There is a concept of a pre-existing condition for group health coverage, but it's a period during which pre-existing conditions for a new member who hasn't been previously insured are not covered, rather than a blanket exclusion like it is with individual policies.