BCBSMI HMO to give healthy discounts

A Blue Cross health maintenance organization says it will offer lower-cost insurance to people who refrain from smoking, maintain a proper weight and exercise.
The discounts will be available starting Oct. 1 from Blue Care Network of Michigan, affiliated with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
The new coverage plan is called Healthy Blue Living and costs employers about 10 percent less than a typical Blue Care Plan. It has two fee scales, one for those who meet specific guidelines for healthy living and another for those who do not.
"We wanted a product that would lower premiums as well as put a little accountability on employees," Dr. Douglas Woll, Blue Care Network senior vice president and chief medical officer, told The Detroit News for a story Monday. "Employees will be paying more as a consequence for doing things that are not healthy."
Blue Care Network expects to enroll 5,000 to 10,000 members in the plan in the first year, Woll told the Detroit Free Press.
Under the program, workers qualify for lower rates by scoring well on an assessment that measures alcohol use, blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, smoking status and weight.
To buy the plan, employers must promise to keep a smoke-free work place.

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