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Originally Posted by Piscator
Private companies and institutions (who provide private health insurance) can make decisions without Government involvement. My wife is an HR manager for one of the largest companies in the world (over 300,000 employees world wide) and they will have 100% tobacco free campuses by the end of 2011. This was a decision made privately and not by any government. No smoking will be allowed at any of their sites across the world. You can’t use tobacco in your car or while on company property. Her company’s stance is, if you don't like it, you don't have to work here. This was a big deal and particularly big issue with factory workers as they can not get off the property to smoke and be back before their break is over.
That is one of the ways they are trying to urge employees to quit to help reduce Insurance costs
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Good. Smokers are less productive in the workplace and are sicker more often.
This is a few years dated but:
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Here's another good reason to kick the habit: giving up cigarettes will increase your productivity at work and cut back on your sick leave. A new article in the journal Tobacco Control reports these findings, which result from a 1990 U.S. Office of Technology Assessment study. The research estimated that smokers cost employers $47 billion dollars in early deaths and disability. The scientists tracked the attendance, productivity and perceptions of ticket sales staff for a major U.S. airline.
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The data showed that smokers took on average nearly three times as much sick leave as did non-smokers, and significantly more time off than ex-smokers as well.
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Now tack on that insurance companies offer businesses discounts on health insurance if they don't hire smokers and it's even better of a financial decision for businesses.
This is no different than delivery companies that won't hire people with a bad driving record - I don't and we get reduced vehicle insurance rates because of it.
redlite knows the insurance industry and brought up a good point - the questions you're asking are already being addressed by these companies when decided if they will provide coverage. They make the decision based on how risky you are. My opinion is for them to take it one step further and either provide me a kick-back for being a healthy person or create a surcharge for those who don't.
You want me to draw a line in the sand, then fine - Obesity and smoking - the two biggest causes of preventable deaths in America and two of the most expensive. Done. The line is drawn.