Obese and Smoking Workers To Pay The Price - Bout Time!

 Employers are increasingly looking to lower their health care costs by using incentives like cash rewards to persuade workers to make better lifestyle choices, according to survey findings released Monday.

CVS Caremark, the large pharmacy and drug-benefit provider, recently said it would require its employees to report their weight, blood sugar and cholesterol or be forced to pay an annual penalty of $600. It also will require that smokers try to quit.

Several other major employers, including Home Depot, PepsiCo and Wal-Mart, have also adopted such policies.

A separate Aon Hewitt survey offered some evidence that incentive programs can change behaviors. That survey, of workers who had taken a questionnaire and then received suggestions for improving their health, found that nearly two-thirds made at least one positive change. The employee survey was conducted in partnership with the National Business Group on Health and the Futures Company, a consulting firm. 

Next up should Be Medicaid Recipients