Subject: Re: Law Against Obesity?
Author: ironjustice@aol.comDate: 24 Aug
Ref:
On Jul 21, 5:48 am, ironjustice <teamtan...@hotmail.com> wrote:obese
<<
Heavy people to feel lighter wallets with Alabama surcharge
MONTGOMERY, Alabama (AP) — Alabama, pushed to second in national
obesity rankings by deep-fried Southern favorites, is cracking down on
state workers who are too fat.
The state has given its 37,527 employees a year to start getting fit —
or they'll pay $25 a month for insurance that otherwise is free.
COSTS: Obese live shorter but have heftier medical bills
CDC: Southern states still most obese
Alabama will be the first U.S. state to impose a surcharge on
overweight state workers who do not work on slimming down. A handful
of other states reward employees who adopt healthy behaviors.
Alabama already charges workers who smoke — and has seen some success
in getting them to quit — but now has turned its attention to a
problem that plagues many in the U.S. South: obesity.
The State Employees' Insurance Board this week approved a plan to
charge state workers starting in January 2010 if they don't have free
health screenings.
If the screenings turn up serious problems with blood pressure,
cholesterol, glucose or obesity, employees will have a year to see a
doctor at no cost, enroll in a wellness program, or take steps on
their own to improve their health.
If they show progress in a follow-up screening, they won't be charged.
But if they don't, they must pay starting in January 2011.
"We are trying to get individuals to become more aware of their
health," said state worker Robert Wagstaff, who serves on the
insurance board.
Government statistics show Alabamians have a big weight problem.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 30.3% are
now obese, ranking the state behind only Mississippi.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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