health surveys and screenings for HSA money

[Zoe Girl]

My district has a deal where they will put $200 into my HSA (health savings account) when I do certain things. There is a list of about 6 screening tests, a survey and one other thing that I am forgetting right now. So I decided to go ahead and try this, after all it is enough to get a spare pair of glasses or cover my next psych appointment. I looked it over yesterday and I need to find out if all these screenings are covered already, it seems a waste to pay for a bunch of screenings to get the $200 instead of choosing the ones that make sense to me.

But the survey started to bug me. I know why I am doing it, I am comfortable and fine with my body and how I eat, and it still was hard to see the 'overweight' tag come up. You know maybe for women they should include how large our breasts are for weight evaluation. It has always bugged me that I am supposed to weigh the same as someone who is on the verge of special ordering bras. Also it asked if I planned on changing my exercise routine. Some of the questions and answers didn't really fit so there was no place to report that I am on my feet a good part of the day running camp this time of year, should I put down my heart rate goes up when I have to chase down a kid? I am actually pretty damn tired at the end of the day (last day of camp!). It is just a survey after all! I just need to fill it out but it is getting to me, argh. I could report I eat constant junk food, never exercise and don't plan on changing and I would still get credit for it.

This could be a lot of 'last day of camp' grumpiness too, I am going to leave it for a few days and see if I am still grumpy

[Tammy]

I hate these. But I do all the parts in order to get $60 off my cost of insurance each month.

They don't even give me the right answers from the data sometimes. I just ignore it, do the steps, and take the money.

But I expect soon that a certain BMI will pay more for insurance, as smokers do now.

[Lainey]

I think those screenings should be part of a routine annual physical, and if your insurance covers that the medical office just has to fill in the paperwork for you so you get the $200 in your HSA.

I also agree with Tammy that, even though these findings are starting out to penalize smokers in the group insurance policy, I believe it's moving towards other things like BMI too. What I'm wondering is where does this end: activities that you do on your own private time like motorcycle racing or skydiving or solo sailing, etc. may be considered an added risk which would incur higher premiums?

[sweetana3]

They want my husband to lose 30 pounds to get the extra $120 from his health plan. Nothing else they could suggest. He is retired and lifts more weight (100+ pounds)than all but one of the college students in his weight lifting and exercise class. He volunteers 5+ days a week for Habitat for Humanity and is on his feet the whole time. They are just using a simple chart that does not quantify all the aspects of a person's life. They don't ask about any of that. Husband does not want to be "thin". He wants to be "fit".

[nswef]

You're right Sweetana3, BMI is very easy, but deceptive. Kind of like school testing....and so many other methods of judging. As a chubby but pretty fit and healthy woman I resent being a number and perhaps having to pay extra when I am more fit than some whose BMI is within the proper range.

[Zoe Girl]

I agree about BMI, I did a 5K with the girls at my school and it was 50 minutes. I felt that was so slow based on times I used to have, but I did it. Meanwhile the BMI chart may put me in a healthier range than someone who was faster and can do more physically than I can.

If BMI starts to affect insurance rates then I am totally pushing the boob issue, make them take my waist measurement as well as my weight.

[rosarugosa]

My employers pays us to do an online health assessment and get biometric testing done (height, weight, BMI, cholesterol). The blood work is fully covered. DH & I will each get $300 before taxes since DH is also on my health plan. I got a $50 gift card for doing some online wellness courses. I'm enrolled in a step challenge that runs to the end of August and will get $150 if I meet the goal, which I should be able to do. The step challenge has definitely gotten me to walk more. I did buy a Fitbit zip for $60. for the step challenge. I really like it because it shows the actual number of steps and calories burned, and it's a watch too. It easily clips onto my clothing, which I like a lot better than the rubber bracelet model I had before. So that cost must be factored into the incentive, but as I said, I am walking more, which is truly the point rather than the $$ incentive.
There are a couple of other incentives for phone coaching and self-directed online coaching. I'm taking full advantage of it all!

[creaker]

My insurance at work gives incentive for being active, among other things - but it's generally pain trying to track all of it manually. I ended up getting a fitbit and linking my fitibit account with my insurance incentives account, and it just all tracks automatically.

[freshstart]

my former employer used to give us $100 for our HSA for taking a health survey. I felt uncomfortable having my employer know the answer to some questions, like, "do you take anti-depressants?" I worried they could say I'm unfit to be a nurse. So I said "no". I would've felt more comfortable if the info was confidential through a 3rd party since we didn't get any incentives to lose wt or stop smoking or any other benefit from it.

[rosarugosa]

Freshstart: Our questionnaire is administered confidentially through a third party.

[Zoe Girl]

Freshstart: Our questionnaire is administered confidentially through a third party.

Ours is too, and I don't think I have an obligation to create or follow a plan. Just do the screening tests and answer the survey.