Employers Ramp Up Wellness Penalties

This article talks about some of the different incentives as well as penalties that can be issued by a company to their employees for preventative health care.  The use of wellness penalties by employers more than doubled from 2009 to 2011, rising from 8% to 19% of employers.  Companies are more likely to offer an incentive for employees who are willing to take preventative health measusres such as have a check up with their doctor.  Some employers require that employees have a certain body mass index or cholestoral level.  I think that this is a great idea and think that employees should recieve incentives if they are taking steps to become more healthy and there should be penalties for not taking those measures.  There is no doubt that the United States is one of the least healthy countries in the world with a McDonalds or Taco Bell on every corner we have quick access to unhealthy food.  We wonder why our health care costs are so high and all we have to do is look in a mirror.  I believe that these types of programs could lower the cost of healthcare and help prevent health issues by catching them early.