Nicotine Test for Benefits at Work

[Simmerdown☕️]

Well I hope not.
That meme is not a joke . . . err, I mean to say it's factual and informative.
That's the actual U.S. assistant secretary of health.

I generally agree with your post chopper. And, I’m aware who that is as I have to live with “her” & “her” medical decisions. ‘Twas just envisioning someone getting their feelings hurt bout da meme. Some folks are extra-special sensitive…but I’m not one of those folks. ??️

 

[Sun Bear John]

This thread hasn't been shutdown by moderators yet? Yes, I actually read all of it.

 

[Peter Peachfuzz]

I retired from the Corp office for a group of hospitals. They had a dept that existed to troll the internet and gather information.

 

[Irish Piper]

I'm so glad I don't have to deal with any of this shit... ?

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

I retired from the Corp office for a group of hospitals. They had a dept that existed to troll the internet and gather information.

My employer came to my house to count the beer cans in the recycle bin and skid marks on my underwear. After shooting two that I thought were intruders, they changed their no knock policy.

 

[The Amish Tyrant]

A general rule of thumb is not posting anything online or in emails that you wouldn't want the "x-factors" (ex- spouses, employers, business partners), insurance providers, judges, or opposing attorneys to read.

 

[Simmerdown☕️]

A general rule of thumb is not posting anything online or in emails that you wouldn't want the "x-factors" (ex- spouses, employers, business partners), insurance providers, judges, or opposing attorneys to read.

Well, considering my posts within the forums…I’m definitely on someone’s ? list. ?️

 

[FALaholic]

Would you want to pay car insurance for DUI and speeders? I didn't think so.

Actually we are already paying for that. It’s called Uninsured/Underinsured Liability.

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

Actually we are already paying for that. It’s called Uninsured/Underinsured Liability.

A DUI driver can be insured. The same would be true for speeders.

On the other hand, I was in a hit and run nearly 8 years ago by a repeat offender DUI. I tracked him down by the logo on his work shirt., The police said I could get in trouble and accused of stalking. The officer who came said he checked the license number. Said it was attached to a black car. I had to show him the blue paint on my fender. The police never did anything even though they had his name and address.

Since the insurance was never able to get the drivers insurance information. nothing happened. My body shop friend agreed to do the repairs for what GEICO paid sans the deductible.

 

[Pipeoff]

A DUI driver can be insured. The same would be true for speeders.

On the other hand, I was in a hit and run nearly 8 years ago by a repeat offender DUI. I tracked him down by the logo on his work shirt., The police said I could get in trouble and accused of stalking. The officer who came said he checked the license number. Said it was attached to a black car. I had to show him the blue paint on my fender. The police never did anything even though they had his name and address.

Since the insurance was never able to get the drivers insurance information. nothing happened. My body shop friend agreed to do the repairs for what GEICO paid sans the deductible.

My state legalizing pot has a new problem. The vehicle and traffic law has not set a level for driving while intoxicated., but driving while impaired with blood tests after an accident with levels remaining in the system for a week can cause drivers insurance problems and loss of license.

 

[FLDRD]

No it hasn't. Stop the Nanny Gate nonsense. Grow a couple.

Lying has gone too far. If you buy something to protect your butt, you should be honest. Otherwise, all the non smokers have to pay for your decisions.

It is a known correlation between smoking and COPD, not so with what you listed.

Would you want to pay car insurance for DUI and speeders? I didn't think so.

You are already paying for DUI and speeders in your auto insurance.
And there is no correlation between COPD and pipe smoking.
Some people already have a couple - large.

 

[JohnMosesBrowning]

Just to be clear:

My employer does not care if I smoke or do not smoke.

My employer thinks these tests are unfair and is trying to get us onto a different plan that does not require them.

My doctor was surprised when I brought out the form at my appointment because he thought insurance companies had stopped using them. According to him (and I do not know the veracity of his claim) it is costing insurance companies more money to run these programs than they were making on the higher premiums. You only have to pay the higher premium if you both fail one of the tests (bmi, nictotine, cholesterol, etc.) and fail to participate in a program to help you with whatever requirement you failed to meet. So even if you're morbidly obese (hence failing the sub 30 BMI requirement) if you take the FitBit that they buy for you, and do what you're supposed to do to lose the weight, you'll keep the lower premiums. All of this (again, according to my GP) is costing Blue Care Network more than the extra premiums they're collecting.

I would argue I did not cheat on my urine test, I gave them my sample as required. I'm sorry that others here disagree. But while we're stumping for high and mighty morals, I seem to recall something someone said once about the casting of first stones.

 

[lraisch]

I too disagree with the black and white view of the ethics of this subject.

I challenge anyone who feels that this is dishonest to state categorically that they have never exceeded a speed limit, failed to pay a state sales tax on a mail order purchase, rode a bike without a helmet or drove without buckling up. There are innumerable activities that people may engage in which have a direct connection to their health and safety that cannot be detected in a cup of pee. Smoking (tobacco) is a legal activity and if not indulged at the employer's place of business should not be their or their insurance company's business.

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

You either smoke or you don't. It doesn't matter about anything else.

All the old men longing for the good days, did they struggle so much? LOL!!

 

[Skapie]

Insurance works on risk. If their actuaries have calculated that people with a nicotine content higher than X has a higher chance of claiming, they can demand a higher premium from that individual. Of course it is their business, in fact it is the very nature of their business.

If the insurer is willing to calculate its risks based on this test, and is happy to offer premiums based on the outcome of that test, then that is the insurer’s prerogative. There is no need to inform them, additonally, that you smoke a pipe every so often (unless, of course, there is a question on their form about smoking). Their metric is based on their nicotine testing.

It really is as simple as that.

 

[warren]

Smoking (tobacco) is a legal activity and if not indulged at the employer's place of business should not be their or their insurance company's business.

First you wish to conflate the discussion. Then, you throw out the old bromide above. There's nothing wrong with that bit of logic, as long as the employee, upon being diagnosed with a cancer, does not contact the employer provided insurance provider seeking the handout. Unless and, of course, such a provider didn't use smoking as a screen item and the employee did not disassemble when answering such a question or, through devious means, provided avoided a truthful test by changing living habits for a short time.

The questions; "Are you an honest person or, not?" is pretty black and white. I'll readily admit speeding now and then, don't lie about it though. I just pay the ticket. But, again we are not discussing a lapse in judgement or a traffic violation.

Skapie, and others, discuss "thresholds." Important in this context with regard to the OP. But, the OP explicitly asked about methods of avoiding the threshold. Then after "passing" the test whines about "stone casting." LOL

 

[warren]

And, please do not take umbrage, I'm not judging, simply pointing out right and wrong behavior. I'm doing so simply for the entertainment value. Most, if not all, of us here know what is "right or wrong" behavior without being reminded. But, asking on a public board about ways of "cheating" an employer, well .... that speaks volumes with regard to judgement and honesty. But, it's simply human behavior. Remember, never expect good from people. That way you'll never be disappointed and, rarely though, you will be pleasantly surprised.

 

[JohnMosesBrowning]

I'm not sure how many times you need to mis-read these posts Warren. My employer doesn't care and thinks the test is wrong. Maybe the the print is too fine from such a high horse.

 

[warren]

My employer doesn't care and thinks the test is wrong.

Yet you went to the trouble of asking how to "beat" the test. No "high horse" just enjoying the contortions.

My physical is in two weeks and I'm planning to abstain from any pipes between now and then. My hope is that I can pass this blasted test and then move on with my life. According to BCN once a negative test is achieved, no further tests are required at annual physicals.

 

[lraisch]

First you wish to conflate the discussion. Then, you throw out the old bromide above. There's nothing wrong with that bit of logic, as long as the employee, upon being diagnosed with a cancer, does not contact the employer provided insurance provider seeking the handout. Unless and, of course, such a provider didn't use smoking as a screen item and the employee did not disassemble when answering such a question or, through devious means, provided avoided a truthful test by changing living habits for a short time.

The questions; "Are you an honest person or, not?" is pretty black and white. I'll readily admit speeding now and then, don't lie about it though. I just pay the ticket. But, again we are not discussing a lapse in judgement or a traffic violation.

Skapie, and others, discuss "thresholds." Important in this context with regard to the OP. But, the OP explicitly asked about methods of avoiding the threshold. Then after "passing" the test whines about "stone casting." LOL

Can you make an absolute determination that any specific cancer is directly related to an individual's smoking? Are there not other possible causes?

If I am ticketed for speeding, I don't lie about it either. That doesn't mean that I report myself every time I do it. My point is that there are numerous activities and behaviors that are deleterious to your health and the safety and the insurance cost of others.

DUI's continue to be the most common charges that prosecutor's have to deal with and yet we don't ask for a blood test to determine alcohol use. Throw in workplace accidents, missed time at work, domestic violence and drunken assaults and I suspect that there is much more societal cost attributable to drinking.

If you end up in the hospital because your speeding or drunk driving caused you to crash your car, your health insurance will still pay. Minus deductibles and copays of course!