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Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Skip day and health screening

I'm taking an unscheduled day off running today because I have to go to a health clinic and have my blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, weight, etc measured.
This is required for our new health insurance - that is, if we want any sort of decent coverage. Our insurance has a very high deductible, but the company pays the first $400 of it. IF you get your labs done! If you don't, you only get $200. Lots of companies are doing similar things with insurance. One large employer in the area allows you to decrease your premiums based on healthy blood pressure and cholesterol; others penalize you with a higher deductible if you skip these basic measures.
I like this general idea, but I wish my company allowed you to earn healthcare points based on good results. Right now, as long as you get the labs done (regardless of results), you get the extra $200. But my cholesterol and blood pressure are always very low, so I think I could benefit from a structure that paid you for being healthy.
Actually, I'm drinking coffee right now to increase by blood pressure because it is always so low that I scare people. It's usually something like 90/50 when I'm fasting, so I figured I'd have some caffeine and bump it up a little. Cheating.
What do you think about health screenings required by insurance? Smart move to catch potential health risks? Or invasive and greedy?

1 comment:

  1. Mine is always really low too! They always tell me its ok but I feel like its weird- is it ok??

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