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Dallas Employee Wellness Programs Reduce Smoking Habit, and costs for insurance. Call Valerie Grimes, Hypnotist 972-974-2094
PAYING MORE TO USE TOBACCO.
Excerpts from Article in Winston Salem Journal, June 15, 2010 Daily Edition, by Sarah Morayati.
“Winston-Salem workers who use tobacco will be eligible only for the city’s basic health-coverage plan. SMOKE SCREENINGS: CITY WORKERS TO BE TESTED FOR NICOTINE PAYING MORE TO USE TOBACCO.
“A new city policy will try to save money by raising health-insurance premiums for municipal employees who use tobacco products, a change that has some workers upset.
“…health-insurance premiums will go up by an undetermined amount for city employees unless they take a test to prove they are tobacco-free…these employees will be eligible only for the city’s basic health-coverage plan. They will not qualify for the city’s Basic Plus health plan in which the city covers more costs.
* SMOKING ON THE JOB FACTS * PRODUCTIVITY – The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that employees who smoke cost employer’s $1897 a year in lost productivity. Employees who take four 10-minute smoke breaks a day work one month less per year than the employees who don’t take smoking breaks. * SICK DAYS- Smokers average 6.16 missed days of work to sickness per year, compared with 3.86 days for non-smokers. * ECONOMIC LOSSES: Cigarette smoking results in $75 billion in direct medical costs and $92 billion in lost productivity, or $3560 per adult smoker. * Source: BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina
“the city’s projected health-care costs for 2010 are $20.9 million – up 10 percent. Last year all premiums went up 25%, but those who joined an expanded wellness program and took biometric tests were eligible to pay the old amount. About 80 to 90 percent of the employees took the screening. Testing found that about 15% of the covered employees and retirees use tobacco products.
“Winston-Salem joins a growing number of government employers, including the state of North Carolina, in attempting to cut costs by improving employee’s health.
Paying More For Insurance -Dallas Employee Wellness Programs Reduce Smoking Habit, Call Valerie Grimes, Hypnotist 972-974-2094
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