Business
Fallon offers nonsmoker incentive
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Sept. 4, 2006
Massachusetts-based Fallon Community Health Plan is offering a $10-per-pay-period payment toward the health insurance of nonsmokers. The plan says it hopes the discount will encourage smokers at its workplace to quit. The discount would total $260 for a year.
More employers are using such discounts as an incentive for employees to stop smoking, thus saving on later health costs. On July 1, Massachusetts codified such incentives into its landmark law requiring all of its residents to have health insurance, believing the incentives could make insurance more affordable. Fallon says it is testing its plan in its own office before offering it as part of the health plans it sells or manages to other employers.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2006/09/04/bibf0904.htm.
