Health Insurance "Difference Card" (1 Viewer)

[Gottabesweet]

So my company just came out with this new Welness program where we have 3 different plan options, High, Low, EPO which you need to earn 50 welness points every 6 months to keep your premium down.

You can go to the gym 60 times in 6 months, take webinars, yearly check ups, courses online, Which is all fine, however you then have to submit all this information online to get credit (points) to keep your co-pays where they are.

If I go to the doctor's for a sick call, you swipe your difference card first, and then you will then be left your co-pay balance.

Any other companies doing anything different like this? Seems like way more work on my end than ever before.

 

[NutterButter]

Is this keeping the premiums and/or the co-pays down? What kind of difference we talking about between doing it and not doing it?

 

[Cjw_55106]

I guess we have something similar, but we dont need points, but do have the program options to keep the co-pays down. The only thing I can say is, if people dont like it, they dont have to do it.

 

[Gottabesweet]

Is this keeping the premiums and/or the co-pays down? What kind of difference we talking about between doing it and not doing it?

So the cheapest plan it's a $25.00 co-pay for the in-network doctor's

It jumps to $35.00 if you don't do the program.

Specialist's and other service's jump in price as well.

The high/low plan's both are $10.00 for co-pays that jump to $20.00 if you don't do the program

It's not mandatory, but just more annoying, as the plans before were just cut-and-dry.

I plan on aquiring the points, and doing the online webinar's anyways.

Just alot more cards to carry, and things to remember, swipe this card first, hope these office's take off the correct amount and then pay the difference.

If you don't go to the gym, you can have HR sign off on a sheet if they feel you work out at home to get you points.

 

[Bogeys]

My company does something similar, but nothing ongoing. We just (employee and spouse..not dependents) have to do a yearly biometric screening and this knocks $200 off of our deductible for each person on the plan. They offer the screening here or you can get the info from your doctor and enter it manually. Not required of course.

 

[sbonomo]

Mine requires and annual physical in order to recieve 500 hsa contribution. Not that big of a deal other than the look on the docs face when i tell him i have a few glasses of wine most nights of the week and blood samples taken once per year. Note to self, lie about wine next year.

 

[Nugget]

We are on a high deductible plan. We have an HSA account that we contribute to each paycheck. They provide us with a credit card linked to thee acccount to pay for medical services. There is a lower deductible if you get annual physicals and there is a surcharge for tobacco use.

Insurance will continue to get more gimmicky as health costs continue to rise at 5-20% per year.

 

[NutterButter]

We are on a high deductible plan. We have an HSA account that we contribute to each paycheck. They provide us with a credit card linked to thee acccount to pay for medical services. There is a lower deductible if you get annual physicals and there is a surcharge for tobacco use.

Insurance will continue to get more gimmicky as health costs continue to rise at 5-20% per year.

Is it really going up that much? I thought it was around 3% per year.

 

[Chadstroma]

Is this keeping the premiums and/or the co-pays down? What kind of difference we talking about between doing it and not doing it?

So the cheapest plan it's a $25.00 co-pay for the in-network doctor's

It jumps to $35.00 if you don't do the program.

Specialist's and other service's jump in price as well.

The high/low plan's both are $10.00 for co-pays that jump to $20.00 if you don't do the program

It's not mandatory, but just more annoying, as the plans before were just cut-and-dry.

I plan on aquiring the points, and doing the online webinar's anyways.

Just alot more cards to carry, and things to remember, swipe this card first, hope these office's take off the correct amount and then pay the difference.

If you don't go to the gym, you can have HR sign off on a sheet if they feel you work out at home to get you points.

This seems to me like a lawsuit waiting to happen.

I think something like this is good and keeping it optional is awesome but sadly the litigious nature of our country these days ends up killing things like this.

 

[Chadstroma]

We are on a high deductible plan. We have an HSA account that we contribute to each paycheck. They provide us with a credit card linked to thee acccount to pay for medical services. There is a lower deductible if you get annual physicals and there is a surcharge for tobacco use.

Insurance will continue to get more gimmicky as health costs continue to rise at 5-20% per year.

Is it really going up that much? I thought it was around 3% per year.

My costs for employer sponsored health care over the last few years has been much more in line with 20% than any 3%.

 

[Gottabesweet]

Is this keeping the premiums and/or the co-pays down? What kind of difference we talking about between doing it and not doing it?

So the cheapest plan it's a $25.00 co-pay for the in-network doctor's

It jumps to $35.00 if you don't do the program.

Specialist's and other service's jump in price as well.

The high/low plan's both are $10.00 for co-pays that jump to $20.00 if you don't do the program

It's not mandatory, but just more annoying, as the plans before were just cut-and-dry.

I plan on aquiring the points, and doing the online webinar's anyways.

Just alot more cards to carry, and things to remember, swipe this card first, hope these office's take off the correct amount and then pay the difference.

If you don't go to the gym, you can have HR sign off on a sheet if they feel you work out at home to get you points.

This seems to me like a lawsuit waiting to happen.

I think something like this is good and keeping it optional is awesome but sadly the litigious nature of our country these days ends up killing things like this.

Exactly, I feel like the company (don't even remember the name) that controls the points got backlash regarding, "What if you can't afford to go to the gym or work out at home because it's easier) So now a form needs to be signed by someone at your employer saying you work out at home to recieve the points.

 

[James Daulton]

All this stuff seems over the top but the truth is that if everybody cared just a little bit about watching their weight, exercising a little, not smoking, and keeping drinking to reasonable levels, the health care cost in this country would go down 50%+.

 

[NutterButter]

We are on a high deductible plan. We have an HSA account that we contribute to each paycheck. They provide us with a credit card linked to thee acccount to pay for medical services. There is a lower deductible if you get annual physicals and there is a surcharge for tobacco use.

Insurance will continue to get more gimmicky as health costs continue to rise at 5-20% per year.

Is it really going up that much? I thought it was around 3% per year.

My costs for employer sponsored health care over the last few years has been much more in line with 20% than any 3%.

I just got that # from this article.

 

[Gottabesweet]

All this stuff seems over the top but the truth is that if everybody cared just a little bit about watching their weight, exercising a little, not smoking, and keeping drinking to reasonable levels, the health care cost in this country would go down 50%+.

Exactly it doesn't have to be anything crazy, but I'm shocked to hear so many just don't get a yearly physical/blood work or a routine dental cleaning etc.

 

[matttyl]

All this stuff seems over the top but the truth is that if everybody cared just a little bit about watching their weight, exercising a little, not smoking, and keeping drinking to reasonable levels, the health care cost in this country would go down 50%+.

Yup, or somewhere close to it.

 

[matttyl]

Curious, but how is this really any different from underwriting (pre-exisiting conditions) that the ACA did away with?

I mean, if you're not doing these steps and you can't convince HR that you're exercising at home (cause you're overweight), then you're paying more either in co-pays or in premiums or by not getting as much money in your HSA or similar account.

My wife's company does something similar, and she qualifies for the "discount" by entering the number of steps she takes each day and other info from her fitbit.

 

[Nugget]

There is probably a difference between the increase in health care costs and the increase in premiums/deductibles. It feels that many companies have shifted more of the expense and increases back on to the consumer. My family health plan through Cigna in 2006 cost $200/month. Same plan in 2014 was $720 month. We shifted to a high deductible plan in 2012 due to spiraling costs.

ACA premiums for next year could get pretty steep according to this NYT article

Health care spending for the country seems consistent recently at around 17% of GDP - so increase in cost probably matches US growth rate.

 

[fourd]

All this stuff seems over the top but the truth is that if everybody cared just a little bit about watching their weight, exercising a little, not smoking, and keeping drinking to reasonable levels, the health care cost in this country would go down 50%+.

While this would certainly be helpful it would also be nice for people to plan end of life better. Medicare pays out 10s of billions and in too many cases it isn't going to make any difference.

 

[Chadstroma]

Curious, but how is this really any different from underwriting (pre-exisiting conditions) that the ACA did away with?

I mean, if you're not doing these steps and you can't convince HR that you're exercising at home (cause you're overweight), then you're paying more either in co-pays or in premiums or by not getting as much money in your HSA or similar account.

My wife's company does something similar, and she qualifies for the "discount" by entering the number of steps she takes each day and other info from her fitbit.

Encouraging 'wellness' is not considered a pre-existing condition.

 

[James Daulton]

All this stuff seems over the top but the truth is that if everybody cared just a little bit about watching their weight, exercising a little, not smoking, and keeping drinking to reasonable levels, the health care cost in this country would go down 50%+.

While this would certainly be helpful it would also be nice for people to plan end of life better. Medicare pays out 10s of billions and in too many cases it isn't going to make any difference.

This is certainly true. Most people try to hold on as long as they can. I think though, if you could fix a person's health during their younger years, their older years will also be more healthy so this issue will be lessened.

 

[Johnny Rock]

I thought for sure this was an Obama Executive Order whereby the poor would show this "Difference Card," and it would magically cover "the difference" of any costs not covered in their ObamaCare, like co-pays, prescription drugs, crowns, glasses, etc.

 

[Ned]

My company does something similar, but nothing ongoing. We just (employee and spouse..not dependents) have to do a yearly biometric screening and this knocks $200 off of our deductible for each person on the plan. They offer the screening here or you can get the info from your doctor and enter it manually. Not required of course.

This is what we do, but also get another $200 off for certifying you're tobacco free.

 

[matttyl]

Curious, but how is this really any different from underwriting (pre-exisiting conditions) that the ACA did away with?

I mean, if you're not doing these steps and you can't convince HR that you're exercising at home (cause you're overweight), then you're paying more either in co-pays or in premiums or by not getting as much money in your HSA or similar account.

My wife's company does something similar, and she qualifies for the "discount" by entering the number of steps she takes each day and other info from her fitbit.

Encouraging 'wellness' is not considered a pre-existing condition.

Prior to the ACA, if your height and weight put your BMI over a certain amount, you could have been charged more for that "pre-exisiting condition" (the condition being your height to weight ratio). You could have gotten that rate you were being charged lowered if you improved upon your BMI, possibly by going to the gym, keeping a tally of your steps each day with a fitbit, or similar.

This isn't that much different. Everyone here is being charged a higher rate. If you jump through this little hoop we have by going to the gym or waling x number of steps per day, you'll get to pay less.

 

[matttyl]

My company does something similar, but nothing ongoing. We just (employee and spouse..not dependents) have to do a yearly biometric screening and this knocks $200 off of our deductible for each person on the plan. They offer the screening here or you can get the info from your doctor and enter it manually. Not required of course.

This is what we do, but also get another $200 off for certifying you're tobacco free.

Bingo, pre-existing condition. Everyone from the start pays x. Non-tobacco users get to pay x-$200, via a very small underwriting criteria. How is that not charging extra to those people with the "pre-exisiting condition" of tobacco use?

 

[Chadstroma]

My company does something similar, but nothing ongoing. We just (employee and spouse..not dependents) have to do a yearly biometric screening and this knocks $200 off of our deductible for each person on the plan. They offer the screening here or you can get the info from your doctor and enter it manually. Not required of course.

This is what we do, but also get another $200 off for certifying you're tobacco free.

Bingo, pre-existing condition. Everyone from the start pays x. Non-tobacco users get to pay x-$200, via a very small underwriting criteria. How is that not charging extra to those people with the "pre-exisiting condition" of tobacco use?

Let's just say that your definition of pre-existing condition is exceedingly broad and is not what most everyone else's is.

 

[matttyl]

My company does something similar, but nothing ongoing. We just (employee and spouse..not dependents) have to do a yearly biometric screening and this knocks $200 off of our deductible for each person on the plan. They offer the screening here or you can get the info from your doctor and enter it manually. Not required of course.

This is what we do, but also get another $200 off for certifying you're tobacco free.

Bingo, pre-existing condition. Everyone from the start pays x. Non-tobacco users get to pay x-$200, via a very small underwriting criteria. How is that not charging extra to those people with the "pre-exisiting condition" of tobacco use?

Let's just say that your definition of pre-existing condition is exceedingly broad and is not what most everyone else's is.

Possibly, but I'm using it as the industry's term. How about the word "underwriting" instead? The ACA did away with that, but everyone just said that it did away with "pre-ex". The point still stands - the ACA made it so that everyone got to pay the same rate for the same policy (yes, other than for admitted tobacco use). Now, with the above example, people that work out get to pay less. It's not that much different than the underwriting criteria we had before the ACA.

 

[Sand]

All this stuff seems over the top but the truth is that if everybody cared just a little bit about watching their weight, exercising a little, not smoking, and keeping drinking to reasonable levels, the health care cost in this country would go down 50%+.

A recent study taking the activity Oof overweight women showed that, on average, they get the equivalent of one hour of strenuous exercise per year. Crazy.

So on this how would they track a dedicated runner - someone who doesn't hit the gym?

 

[Gottabesweet]

Curious, but how is this really any different from underwriting (pre-exisiting conditions) that the ACA did away with?

I mean, if you're not doing these steps and you can't convince HR that you're exercising at home (cause you're overweight), then you're paying more either in co-pays or in premiums or by not getting as much money in your HSA or similar account.

My wife's company does something similar, and she qualifies for the "discount" by entering the number of steps she takes each day and other info from her fitbit.

Well the biggest points getter is the gym, 30 points, however you can watch videos (may or may not be a test) worth 20 points, and they told us not to use up all the videos. Getting a yearly checkup is 20 points, so that's 20/100 yearly points, A Three video's puts you 80/100 so it shouldn't be that hard to obtain just more things to do at home.

 

[NutterButter]

All this stuff seems over the top but the truth is that if everybody cared just a little bit about watching their weight, exercising a little, not smoking, and keeping drinking to reasonable levels, the health care cost in this country would go down 50%+.

A recent study taking the activity Oof overweight women showed that, on average, they get the equivalent of one hour of strenuous exercise per year. Crazy.

So on this how would they track a dedicated runner - someone who doesn't hit the gym?

 

[matttyl]

Curious, but how is this really any different from underwriting (pre-exisiting conditions) that the ACA did away with?

I mean, if you're not doing these steps and you can't convince HR that you're exercising at home (cause you're overweight), then you're paying more either in co-pays or in premiums or by not getting as much money in your HSA or similar account.

My wife's company does something similar, and she qualifies for the "discount" by entering the number of steps she takes each day and other info from her fitbit.

Well the biggest points getter is the gym, 30 points, however you can watch videos (may or may not be a test) worth 20 points, and they told us not to use up all the videos. Getting a yearly checkup is 20 points, so that's 20/100 yearly points, A Three video's puts you 80/100 so it shouldn't be that hard to obtain just more things to do at home.

So if you do healthy things.....you get to pay less.....

 

[Gottabesweet]

Curious, but how is this really any different from underwriting (pre-exisiting conditions) that the ACA did away with?

I mean, if you're not doing these steps and you can't convince HR that you're exercising at home (cause you're overweight), then you're paying more either in co-pays or in premiums or by not getting as much money in your HSA or similar account.

My wife's company does something similar, and she qualifies for the "discount" by entering the number of steps she takes each day and other info from her fitbit.

Well the biggest points getter is the gym, 30 points, however you can watch videos (may or may not be a test) worth 20 points, and they told us not to use up all the videos. Getting a yearly checkup is 20 points, so that's 20/100 yearly points, A Three video's puts you 80/100 so it shouldn't be that hard to obtain just more things to do at home.

So if you do healthy things.....you get to pay less.....

Correct, which is fine, just ridculous how you have to submit all these forms and info to prove everything.

They should come do onsite visits more often. I guess once a year they come and do your blood pressure for 10 points. If the employer allows it.

 

[Johnny Rock]

Watching videos that probably teach that eating less and exercising more are two keys to good health and result in an HSA bump is funny to me.

 

[Chadstroma]

Watching videos that probably teach that eating less and exercising more are two keys to good health and result in an HSA bump is funny to me.

I agree.

If you want to make a real impact and be innovative- why not as an insurance company contract out to a gym chain free gym memberships? The insured would continue to get the free membership, paid for by the insurance company, as long as they averaged once a week visits (or something along those lines). You could manage simply with an electronic membership card that you 'sign in' and tracks your attendance. The insurance company wins with less health claims due to bad health, the consumer wins with getting value and getting healthy and the gym gets new paid for members. Win/win/win!

Wait.... that makes too much sense. Nevermind.