Smokers & Fat Employees in Lowa Taxable Health Fines

every company would want their employees stay healthy so it does not need much health care cost. An Iowa company, the U.S., asking employees to stop smoking and lose weight or be fined to pay higher health costs.

Veridian Credit Union, a company based in Iowa, USA, issued a health program and health checks voluntarily.

The company also gave a mandate to employees to quit smoking and lose weight or be fined to pay higher health costs in 2013. This is done because people who smoke and grease most claims for health care costs.


Not yet clear how much the fines will be set, but certainly not healthy people will pay higher health costs.

Veridian Credit Union with 500 employees, is not the only company that sets the policy. In recent years, more and more companies who have encouraged their employees to voluntarily improve their health to control the ever increasing cost of insurance.

Some companies offer smoking cessation classes and weight loss programs, but too little bit of employees who sign up or show signs of improvement.

Therefore, many companies are trying new and different strategies, for example by requiring employees who can not lower cholesterol and weight pay for medical expenses.

Another example, a Wal-Mart said in 2012 would raise the cost of higher premiums for tobacco users, but offer a smoking cessation program for free.

"Users of tobacco consumption of health services about 25 percent larger than non-users of tobacco, which guarantees more than 1 million people, including family members. Decisions are not easy, but we need to balance costs and provide quality coverage," said Greg Rossiter, a spokesman Wal-Mart, as reported by Reuters on Monday (10/31/2011).