Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Being Healthy

I figure that I'd better post something before you all start thinking that I've succumbed to the flu. I've lived through the ordeal with some residual asthma lingering on (the onus of being asthmatic).

We are a really an unhealthy bunch at work, which is a school, and it has more to do with lousy lifestyles and poor choices than it does to our extreme exposure to so much public. In the past my school would partner with the city when it came to purchasing our health insurance. We would get better rates when trying to cover a larger employee mass.

But then the city divorced us and said they didn't want to partner with us anymore because they did a study and the study showed that we were far too unhealthy and it was our employees who was driving the cost up. They wandered off into the sunset with their lower health insurance rates and our school floundered under the increasing costs of covering such an unhealthy bunch.
To try to get us to make healthier choices my employer started offering perks for completing wellness goals. They have offered healthy eating and cooking workshops, offered discounts on equipment, created employee-only fitness classes (being a school with a thriving athletics department we had lots to offer anyway), health screenings and finally discounts on health insurance.

See, without the city our rates continued to climb and our employer covered it until last year when they said no more! You had to complete X amount of wellness activities and then they would continue to cover the increase. If you didn't do them then you yourself paid for the increase. I did them last year and they have a new set of things for this year. Currently I'm doing a sleep study and 150 minutes of exercise a week (both completely skewed by having the flu). I've signed up for a couple of foodie workshops and still need to schedule my health screening, but maybe I should wait until I'm healthier first.

So that's my story and I'm sticking to it! And BTW, the really unhealthy people? They continue to do nothing and complain about the rate increase.

The Fine Print: This is a birthday card I sent today made from Club Scrap stuff.

14 comments:

MaryH said...

Very interesting post about the insurance tribulations. I hear you about the employee insurance. Wait til you get on Medicare and have to search out supplemental policies for Medicare gap AND medicine coverage. Loads of fun. Good luck with the incentive plan...it really sounds like quite a good way to get healthier, and wouldn't it be nice if the folks who didn't participate were the ones to get the increase? (our workplace smokers drove our rates up too!). Also sympathesize with the flu & asthma. They really don't like each other at all. I've gotten paranoid about being around anyone sniffling/coughing. Just a head cold doesn't that if one has respiratory difficulties. Your card is adorable. Love the icy gray crinkled background and the fun sentiment. Hang in there, TFS

Squirrel x said...

For all the complaints you will hear from the UK about the NHS, I guess we need to try your system before we howl too much. Hope you are soon (albeit temporarily) germ free. That's the problem with schools, they are full of small people shaped germ generators. Sending get well hugs to you hunny. Mwah xx

Fikreta said...

so nice card!
sorry to hear this about employee insurance.
take care,hugs

KT Fit Kitty said...

Wow, Judy, this was an interesting read! I think the wellness programs sound great and I would be checking them out too! Fit Kitty is not so fit any more but I used to be a health nut, still am to some extent, but just not very fit these last few years! I think it's a cool way for employees to offset the rate increase! Oh and your birthday card is cute too! Love the wrinkly foil background!

KT Fit Kitty said...

Also glad you're feeling better and hope you're back to your old self soon!

Barb said...

Hi Judy a very interesting post. I think we probably don't realise how lucky we are to have free health care although things aren't as good as they used to be. Glad to hear you're feeling a bit better. Get well soon and keep up the good work.

Your tag card looks lovely and the background looks great. Barbxx

Carol L said...

That's a great tag card and I just love the crinkled background. I guess there's a new American way of doing everything health related and nothing gets any easier as you age. I hope you feel better soon!

Janeen said...

i was wondering today how you're doing! how clever this is with the inlays of color.

kiwimeskreations said...

Yup - only ever had health insurance briefly as when DH changed jobs and health insurance was not part of the package, the premiums went sky high and we said bye bye!!
Love your graphic tag design contrasted with the crumpled background Princess J.
Blessings
Maxine

Greta said...

Fun card! Not sure this country will ever come up with something that actually works for healthcare--not in my lifetime anyway! When I had benefits my company (hospitals & doctors) offered very inexpensive rates if you did a health evaluation survey & screening. I didn't mind that, but it did irritate me to get calls from the company they contracted with telling me I was due for my mammogram or whatever--pretty much cut them off saying I'm a nurse & have a very competent doctor & we don't need their "help"!

Sarn said...

I nice graphic card PJ.

So glad you made it thru the flu and are on the way up.

Hugs, Sarn xxx

stampingbowd said...

The health insurance hoops are crazy these days. We have to jump through many of them ourselves. Ugh. It's true tho, some will do nothing but continue to complain. Such a fun birthday card! I love the crinkled background. Fun tassle and bold colors on the sentiment!
Take care and I hope you feel back to a 100% soon!

cotnob said...

You make me very glad that we have our NHS in the UK, it is often criticised but it seems to work well in our area.
A lovely bright and cheerful card.
Pauline - Crafting with Cotnob
x

Bonnie said...

All it takes is one heart bypass to skew the whole system! That's a cool background behind that festive tag!