Issue 166 Item 14 Insurers To Reward Patients for Losing Weight. & Exercising

Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson wants Insurance companies to give discounts to customers who lose weight and exercise every day and the U.S. government plans to help them do it.

He praised Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based Fortis Health for its plan that gives a 15% discount to customers who stay at a healthy weight and said more insurers should make similar changes to encourage disease prevention.

"Right now most people are insulated from the cost of their behavior," Thompson told a news conference. "When Mr. Smith has an unhealthy habit, his co-workers, his company and the taxpayers pay for the consequences of his choices."

Thompson’s comments came amid growing concern about the public cost of treating America’s obesity epidemic.

More than 65% of Americans are either overweight or obese. Thompson said children as young as 8 have type-II diabetes, which is linked with obesity, poor eating habits and a lack of exercise.
A third of all cancers can be linked to a lack of exercise and unhealthy eating habits, Thompson said, as can heart disease.
Thompson said he would like to see insurers, and employers who pay for health insurance, pass the costs back to those who are insured, to give them incentives to lose weight, exercise and stop smoking.

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