By Chris Burritt and Carol Wolf - Bloomberg Whole Foods Market Inc., the largest U.S. natural goods grocer, plans to sweeten store discounts to employees who lose weight and measurably improve their health.
Workers will receive discounts of 20 percent rising to 30 percent based on blood pressure, cholesterol levels, body-mass index and whether they smoke, CEO John Mackey said in a telephone interview this week. The program is voluntary and begins in January, he said.
“We're making an investment, and we expect a return,” Mackey said, referring to potential savings in health care costs. Whole Foods spent $150 million on self-insured health coverage last year, he said.
The offer reflects his published opinion that most health problems are “self-inflicted” and can be prevented through proper diet, exercise and similar lifestyle changes. Cost savings are achieved by “less government control and more individual empowerment,” he has said.
Mackey angered some Whole Foods customers in August when he wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed column that people “have no intrinsic right to health care.” It is a service, just like food, clothing and shelter, “best provided through voluntary and mutually beneficial market exchanges.” The resulting outcry included calls for a boycott and his ouster.
Mobile laboratories will travel to Whole Foods stores to perform the health tests, Mackey said. Contests within stores and regions will keep employees motivated, he said.
“We make getting the 20 percent discount easy to encourage participation,” he said. “The discounts are on a sliding scale based on results.”
For employees considered high risk because of obesity, Type 2 diabetes or other health issues, Whole Foods already offers a retreat-style immersion program. Mackey said the company pays “several thousand dollars” for each individual to work five to 10 days with one of four U.S. doctors. He declined to specify the amount.
More than 100 people have participated. “Several of those employees have told me the program saved their lives,” Mackey said.
Whole Foods pays health care premiums for its 40,000 full-time employees, or more than 75 percent of its work force, said Kate Lowery, a spokeswoman. Part-time employees pay their own premiums, she said.
> By Chris Burritt and Carol Wolf - Bloomberg Whole Foods Market Inc., the > largest U.S. natural goods grocer, plans to sweeten store discounts to > employees who lose weight and measurably improve their health.
> Workers will receive discounts of 20 percent rising to 30 percent based on > blood pressure, cholesterol levels, body-mass index and whether they smoke, > CEO John Mackey said in a telephone interview this week. The program is > voluntary and begins in January, he said.
> “We're making an investment, and we expect a return,” Mackey said, > referring to potential savings in health care costs. Whole Foods spent $150 > million on self-insured health coverage last year, he said.
> The offer reflects his published opinion that most health problems are > “self-inflicted” and can be prevented through proper diet, exercise and > similar lifestyle changes. Cost savings are achieved by “less government > control and more individual empowerment,” he has said.
> Mackey angered some Whole Foods customers in August when he wrote in a Wall > Street Journal op-ed column that people “have no intrinsic right to health > care.” It is a service, just like food, clothing and shelter, “best > provided through voluntary and mutually beneficial market exchanges.” The > resulting outcry included calls for a boycott and his ouster.
I guess I'm a little slow. What is the difference between a corporation subsidizing its' employee's health care, and a government subsidizing its' citizens health care? Will healthy employees see any of the benefits that are going to encourage healthy lifestyles among "at risk" employees? Will healthy employees get discounts that people with diabetes, heart disease, or cancer don't get?
Mackey said,"Cost savings are achieved by less government control and more individual empowerment", yet he is willing to subsidize employees who modify their behavior.
I have no problem with Mackey's plan, but one may wonder if this isn't just a Whole Foods PR ploy to effect damage control.
> Mobile laboratories will travel to Whole Foods stores to perform the health > tests, Mackey said. Contests within stores and regions will keep employees > motivated, he said.
> “We make getting the 20 percent discount easy to encourage participation,” > he said. “The discounts are on a sliding scale based on results.”
> For employees considered high risk because of obesity, Type 2 diabetes or > other health issues, Whole Foods already offers a retreat-style immersion > program. Mackey said the company pays “several thousand dollars” for each > individual to work five to 10 days with one of four U.S. doctors. He > declined to specify the amount.
> More than 100 people have participated. “Several of those employees have > told me the program saved their lives,” Mackey said.
> Whole Foods pays health care premiums for its 40,000 full-time employees, > or more than 75 percent of its work force, said Kate Lowery, a spokeswoman. > Part-time employees pay their own premiums, she said.
-- ³When you give food to the poor, they call you a saint. When you ask why the poor have no food, they call you a communist.² -Archbishop Helder Camara
> By Chris Burritt and Carol Wolf - Bloomberg Whole Foods Market Inc., the > largest U.S. natural goods grocer, plans to sweeten store discounts to > employees who lose weight and measurably improve their health.
> Workers will receive discounts of 20 percent rising to 30 percent based on > blood pressure, cholesterol levels, body-mass index and whether they smoke, > CEO John Mackey said in a telephone interview this week. The program is > voluntary and begins in January, he said.
> “We're making an investment, and we expect a return,” Mackey said, > referring to potential savings in health care costs. Whole Foods spent $150 > million on self-insured health coverage last year, he said.
> The offer reflects his published opinion that most health problems are > “self-inflicted” and can be prevented through proper diet, exercise and > similar lifestyle changes. Cost savings are achieved by “less government > control and more individual empowerment,” he has said.
> Mackey angered some Whole Foods customers in August when he wrote in a Wall > Street Journal op-ed column that people “have no intrinsic right to health > care.” It is a service, just like food, clothing and shelter, “best > provided through voluntary and mutually beneficial market exchanges.” The > resulting outcry included calls for a boycott and his ouster.
> Mobile laboratories will travel to Whole Foods stores to perform the health > tests, Mackey said. Contests within stores and regions will keep employees > motivated, he said.
> “We make getting the 20 percent discount easy to encourage participation,” > he said. “The discounts are on a sliding scale based on results.”
> For employees considered high risk because of obesity, Type 2 diabetes or > other health issues, Whole Foods already offers a retreat-style immersion > program. Mackey said the company pays “several thousand dollars” for each > individual to work five to 10 days with one of four U.S. doctors. He > declined to specify the amount.
> More than 100 people have participated. “Several of those employees have > told me the program saved their lives,” Mackey said.
> Whole Foods pays health care premiums for its 40,000 full-time employees, > or more than 75 percent of its work force, said Kate Lowery, a spokeswoman. > Part-time employees pay their own premiums, she said.
now, if they'll just lower their price per other supermarkets they could help the food stamp crowd and anyone else, my name for "Whole Foods" Whole Paycheck. j
> > By Chris Burritt and Carol Wolf - Bloomberg Whole Foods Market Inc., the > > largest U.S. natural goods grocer, plans to sweeten store discounts to > > employees who lose weight and measurably improve their health.
> > Workers will receive discounts of 20 percent rising to 30 percent based on > > blood pressure, cholesterol levels, body-mass index and whether they smoke, > > CEO John Mackey said in a telephone interview this week. The program is > > voluntary and begins in January, he said.
> > ³We're making an investment, and we expect a return,² Mackey said, > > referring to potential savings in health care costs. Whole Foods spent $150 > > million on self-insured health coverage last year, he said.
> > The offer reflects his published opinion that most health problems are > > ³self-inflicted² and can be prevented through proper diet, exercise and > > similar lifestyle changes. Cost savings are achieved by ³less government > > control and more individual empowerment,² he has said.
> > Mackey angered some Whole Foods customers in August when he wrote in a Wall > > Street Journal op-ed column that people ³have no intrinsic right to health > > care.² It is a service, just like food, clothing and shelter, ³best > > provided through voluntary and mutually beneficial market exchanges.² The > > resulting outcry included calls for a boycott and his ouster.
> > Mobile laboratories will travel to Whole Foods stores to perform the health > > tests, Mackey said. Contests within stores and regions will keep employees > > motivated, he said.
> > ³We make getting the 20 percent discount easy to encourage participation,² > > he said. ³The discounts are on a sliding scale based on results.²
> > For employees considered high risk because of obesity, Type 2 diabetes or > > other health issues, Whole Foods already offers a retreat-style immersion > > program. Mackey said the company pays ³several thousand dollars² for each > > individual to work five to 10 days with one of four U.S. doctors. He > > declined to specify the amount.
> > More than 100 people have participated. ³Several of those employees have > > told me the program saved their lives,² Mackey said.
> > Whole Foods pays health care premiums for its 40,000 full-time employees, > > or more than 75 percent of its work force, said Kate Lowery, a spokeswoman. > > Part-time employees pay their own premiums, she said.
> now, if they'll just lower their price per other supermarkets they > could help the food stamp crowd and anyone else, my name for "Whole > Foods" Whole Paycheck. j
Mention "Whole Paycheck" anywhere and people know what you are talking about. :)
-- A computer without Microsoft is like a chocolate cake without mustard.
|
