Essay Example on Should People Be Paid to Stay Healthy Rising healthcare Costs

Should People Be Paid to Stay Healthy Rising healthcare costs and increasing rates of chronic illness threaten the future of the U S healthcare system In fact the average cost of employee health care makes up 7 6 of a company s annual operating budget and its only going up As health care costs rise an increasing number of employers are using financial bonuses or penalties to promote healthy behavior and reduce healthcare expenses Many employers offer financial incentives that range from cash payments to discounts on health insurance premiums Some corporations such as Dell and Clarian Health are directly punishing or rewarding employees behavior for changing unhealthy behavior Early reports indicate that direct financial incentives can effectively motivate employees to change their behavior but employers are facing backlash from people who claim this to be highly unethical I completely agree In fact I think that these programs should be completely abolished 

For example penalties should not be considered for behavior such as child bearing or most recreational activities and sports even driving Although these behaviors might increase risks of health care costs they are still widely regarded as critical components of free choice personal identity and self expression Some federal officials insist that the rewards and penalties can be used in an ethical way and that those employees for whom it is unreasonably difficult or medically inadvisable should be exempt from penalties However holding employees responsible for their health behavior is potentially unfair and that employers have no business prying into their employees private lives In conclusion even as health care costs rise these programs that some corporations and companies have turned to should be completely rescinded as they are unfair and unethical I ll let Lewis Maltby the president of the National Workrights Institution say it because he ll do a better job than I could You are supposed to be paid on the basis of how you do your job not how often you go to the gym or how many cheeseburgers you eat Works Cited Congress Plans Incentives for Healthy Habits New York Times 9 May 2009 Google Scholar www nytimes com 2009 05 10 health policy 10health html Accessed 8 Nov 2017 Pearson Steven D and Sarah Lieber Financial Penalties for the Unhealthy Ethical Guidelines for Holding Employees Responsible for Their Health Health Affairs Google scholar www healthaffairs org doi 10 1377 hlthaff 28 3 845 Accessed 8 Nov 2017 Dieleman Joseph L US Spending on Personal Health Care and Public Health 1996 2013 PhD dissertation Google Scholar jamanetwork com journals jama fullarticle 2594716 Accessed 6 Nov 2017 D M Huse Obesity in the Workforce Health Effects and Healthcare Costs April 2007 http employer thomsonhealthcare com uploadedFiles Cost_of_Obesity_in_the 20Workplace pdf